Trolls Band Together (2023)

October 12, 2023 (Denmark)November 17, 2023 (United States)

October 12, 2023 (Denmark)
November 17, 2023 (United States)

Trolls Band Together is a 2023 American animated jukebox musical comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Universal Pictures, based on the Good Luck Trolls dolls from Thomas Dam. It serves as the sequel to Trolls World Tour, and the third installment in the Trolls franchise. The film was directed by Walt Dohrn and co-directed by Tim Heitz, from a screenplay written by Elizabeth Tippet. Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Zooey Deschanel, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Icona Pop, Anderson .Paak, Ron Funches, Kenan Thompson, Kunal Nayyar and Dohrn reprise their voice roles from previous films, with newcomers Eric André, Kid Cudi, Daveed Diggs, Troye Sivan, Camila Cabello, Amy Schumer, Andrew Rannells, RuPaul and Zosia Mamet joining the ensemble voice cast. In the film, Poppy (Kendrick) and Branch (Timberlake), who are officially a couple, attempt to rescue Floyd (Sivan) while reuniting Branch's brothers after the boyband phenomenon, BroZone, was disbanded.

Ideas for a third Trolls film began prior to the release of Trolls World Tour in April 2020, when Timberlake expressed interest in participating during his Apple Music takeover. DreamWorks Animation officially confirmed the third film's development in November 2021. New characters for the film were announced in March 2023, along with new cast members and the title. Despite being predominantly CGI animation, the film includes some 2D animation sequences with animation styles inspired by Yellow Submarine and Fantasia. Theodore Shapiro, who previously composed the score for Trolls World Tour, returned to compose the score for this film.

Trolls Band Together was theatrically released in Denmark on October 12, 2023, and was released in the United States on November 17. The film has grossed $152 million worldwide and received mixed reviews from critics.

Storyline

In a flashback, an infant Branch and his four older brothers John Dory, Spruce, Clay, and Floyd perform as a boyband called BroZone. When they fail to perform the "Perfect Family Harmony", a powerful ability that Trolls can achieve when they are in complete sync, the brothers argue and go their separate ways. Branch is left alone to be raised by his grandmother Rosiepuff.

In the present, leaving off a month after saving music from the Hard Rock Trolls, Branch and Poppy (a fan of BroZone) attend Bridget and Gristle's wedding in Bergen Town. They are interrupted by John Dory, who reveals that Branch is his brother, and came because Floyd has been captured by Velvet and Veneer, two Mount Rageon teenagers who wish to be pop stars. The siblings have trapped Floyd in a diamond perfume bottle, which they use to extract his essence and improve their singing, although the process could eventually kill him. As the Perfect Family Harmony is the only thing that can destroy diamond, Branch reluctantly agrees to help John Dory find their brothers and rescue Floyd. Along with Poppy and Tiny Diamond, they set out in John Dory's armadillo-like portable van named Rhonda.

They find Spruce at the Vacay Island resort, where he has changed his name to Bruce and started a family. Bruce is reluctant to help, until his wife and kids convince him to do so. The group later finds Clay at an abandoned Bergen miniature golf course, inhabited by a hidden colony of Pop Trolls who do not know that the Bergens are no longer their enemies, having been separated from the other Pop Trolls when they fled the final Trollstice. They also meet the colony's leader, Viva, who reveals herself to be Poppy's long-lost sister. At first, Poppy is delighted, but the visit turns sour when Viva refuses to believe the Bergens have changed, and tries to stop Poppy's group from leaving the golf course. They manage to escape thanks to Clay, who has agreed to help, and Poppy and Viva sadly part ways.

Meanwhile, Velvet and Veneer continue to strip Floyd of his essence, and Velvet reveals that she forged Floyd's handwriting and sent a letter to John Dory, in order to bait Floyd's brothers to come and rescue him. Furthermore, the sibling's assistant Crimp is tricked and ends up inventing shoulder-pad suits that enhance the extraction, which they plan to use when they capture all of BroZone.

The Trolls almost made it to Mount Rageous, but once again argue and fail to perform the Perfect Family Harmony. When his brothers decide they will split up again after saving Floyd, Branch scolds them for still treating him like a baby, revealing to them that he lived his whole life alone after their grandmother got eaten. After the brothers felt guilty of their actions, having second thoughts of not seeing each other again, and force Branch to continue the journey with Poppy and Tiny in tow, they end up making it to Mount Rageous themselves, and they locate Floyd, but Velvet and Veneer capture the rest of Branch's brothers, much to his horror. The trio escape and free Rhonda who is also captured but meet Crimp, who gives Poppy a hug. Meanwhile, Bridget and Gristle eventually stumble into the golf course during their honeymoon and are chased around by the Putt-Putt trolls, but Viva notices them and agrees to help them find Poppy after realizing her mistake.

With the aid of their new friends, Branch and Poppy confront Velvet and Veneer when they start mingling with their fans, prompting them to drive away in their luxury vehicle in which Branch, Poppy, and Tiny pursue in Rhonda. During the ensuing chase, Velvet and Veneer begin using the shoulder-pads to extract the essence from Branch's brothers in order to put on a show. Branch, Poppy and their friends are soon helped by Viva, Bridget, and Gristle, and they rescue Branch's brothers, except for Floyd.

Seeing that Floyd is just about out of essence, Branch tells his brothers that they all simply need to be in harmony. They, along with Poppy and Viva, perform the Perfect Family Harmony and break free of their prisons just as Floyd loses the last of his essence, killing him, but he is quickly revived. Veneer, who had been second-guessing Velvet's machinations, publicly confesses everything, and the siblings are sent to prison as Branch and Poppy share their first kiss. The group returns to Vacay Island and witness BroZone's comeback concert, joined by Kismet, another band Branch was once part of.

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