My Little Pony: A New Generation

 is a computer-animated musical adventure fantasy film directed by Robert Cullen and José Ucha, co-directed by Mark Fattibene with Cecil Kramer and Peter Lewis as producers, and written by Gillian Berrow and Tim Sullivan. Based on the My Little Pony toyline. It is a start of the fifth incarnation of the franchise, while also serving as a direct follow-up to the fourth incarnation.

The film was originally scheduled to be distributed theatrically by Paramount Pictures, but owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was instead released on Netflix in most countries on September 24, 2021, while remaining theatrically released in a few Asian countries.

The movie will be followed by My Little Pony: Make Your Mark for kids and families worldwide.

Summary
"Equestria's divided. But a bright-eyed hero believes Earth Ponies, Pegasi and Unicorns should be pals - and, hoof to heart, she's determined to prove it."

- Official Netflix synopsis

Plot
In the earth pony town of Maretime Bay, Argyle Starshine teaches his daughter Sunny Starscout about tales of old Equestria when earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns lived together. Although most earth ponies dismiss these ideas as myths and now live in fear of the other two pony races, Sunny hopes that all three races can be friends.

Years later, after Argyle's death, Sunny continuously tries to change the minds of the other earth ponies, purposely disrupting a showcase of anti-pegasi and unicorn technology by factory owner Phyllis Cloverleaf. Hitch Trailblazer, Sunny's childhood friend and sheriff of Maretime Bay, pulls her away and prepares to send her back home when a unicorn suddenly wanders into the town. While most of the earth ponies flee, Sunny befriends the new unicorn, Izzy Moonbow, and quickly takes her to her home to hide from Hitch and his deputy Sprout, Phyllis' son. Learning from Izzy that unicorns have long since lost their magic and that the pegasi may be to blame, Sunny travels with her to the latter race's home in Zephyr Heights in order to ask for their help. The two elude Hitch and flee town, and Hitch leaves Sprout in charge while he pursues them. Sprout names himself sheriff, turns the citizens of Maretime Bay into a hostile mob, and commandeers Phyllis' factory to construct a giant war machine.

Sunny and Izzy are caught in Zephyr Heights and taken to meet Queen Haven and her two daughters, Pipp Petals and Zipp Storm. When Sunny starts asking about magic, Haven has them imprisoned in the dungeon. Zipp secretly visits them there and tells them that the pegasi have also lost their magic and cannot fly; the royal family uses wires to give the illusion of flight. She helps them escape and takes them to an abandoned transit station that Sunny realizes was used by all three pony races in the past. Sunny finds a set of stained glass windows depicting two crystals – one of which is set in Haven's crown – that may fit together and bring back the magic. The three concoct a plan to steal the crown during Pipp's performance that night. Hitch's arrival triggers a series of mishaps that reveal the royals' inability to fly; Haven is arrested, and the sisters are forced to flee the city with Sunny, Hitch, and Izzy. Hitch gradually overcomes his own prejudices and offers to help Sunny in her effort to reunite the pony races.

Izzy escorts the group to her home of Bridlewood and disguises them as unicorns before leading them to Alphabittle, a tea shop owner who holds the unicorn crystal. Sunny wins it from him in a dance competition, but loses her disguise as she celebrates. As the group flees with the two crystals, they come across Haven, who has also escaped. Sunny and Izzy try to put the two crystals together, but they have no effect. Dejected, Sunny gives back the crystals and returns to Maretime Bay with Hitch.

While packing up her childhood toys, Sunny finds a third crystal intended to join with the other two, built into a lamp Argyle had made for her. As she races to tell Hitch, they discover that Sprout has turned the entire town to his side and is piloting his war machine in preparation for an attack on the other pony races. Sunny and Hitch hurry back to her home as Izzy, Pipp, Zipp, Haven, and Alphabittle arrive. Gathering the crystals, Sunny, Izzy, and Pipp try to put them together while Hitch and Zipp hold off Sprout's machine. Phyllis orders Sprout to stop, but he swerves around her and crashes into Sunny's home, destroying it and the frame in which the crystals must be set. Phyllis, Haven, Alphabittle, and Sunny's friends put aside their differences and come together to comfort her amid the rubble. In response, the crystals begin to glow and lift Sunny into the air, transforming her into an alicorn and restoring magic across the land. Sunny and her friends celebrate as ponies of all three races cooperate to clean up Sprout's mess and a new era of peace begins.