Trolls Band Together (also known as Trolls 3: Band Together or just Trolls 3) is a 2023 American computer-animated jukebox musical comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Universal Pictures. The movie is the sequel to Trolls World Tour (2020) and the third installment in the Trolls franchise, as well as the 3rd film made for the "Good Luck Trolls" licensing by DreamWorks. It is DreamWorks Animation's 45th feature film.
It was released on November 17, 2023. The film has grossed $209 million against a $95 million budget.
Before the events of the firsttwo movies, Branch was a part of a boy band known as BroZone. The oldest brother, John Dory, feels like he has to make sure that BroZone has perfect family harmony. However, the concert is a bust, and the group disbands as a result. Before leaving Branch behind, Floyd gives him the job of taking care of their grandma and promises to come back.
Meanwhile, in the present day, Branch is listening to old tapes of his band, when Poppy arrives. He tries to keep the fact that he was part of it a secret as they prepare for King Gristle Jr. and Bridget's wedding. However, the wedding is halted when John Dory unexpectedly arrives, revealing Branch's secret to Poppy. John Dory tells Branch that Floyd has been captured by Velvet and Veneer, two horrible singers that live on Mount Rageous. They have been using Floyd to be able to sing better. The only way Floyd can be freed is if they sing the "Perfect Family Harmony". Branch initially declines to help John Dory, but relents because Floyd was the only one that cared for him. So he, Poppy, John Dory, and a runaway Tiny Diamond head to find their other brothers.
Their first stop is Vacay Island, where Spruce, now going by Bruce, lives with his wife and several kids at a cantina he owns. While he's happy to see Branch, he still has disdain for John Dory. However, when John Dory tells him of Floyd's kidnapping, Bruce reluctantly agrees to go save him with the "Perfect Family Harmony".
Their next stop is Putt-Putt Village, where the brothers reunite with Clay and Poppy meets Viva, her long lost sister. While Clay decides to help his brothers, Viva wants Poppy to stay in Putt-Putt Village, due to her issues with Bergens. They manage to escape, and head to Mount Rageous to save their brother. While on their way there, the brothers begin to argue again. Branch tries to stop them, leading John Dory to reveal that they won't see each other again after they save Floyd. This causes Branch to go on a full on rant about how hard it's been for him since they left, before abandoning the group to save Floyd alone. Poppy and Tiny tag along with him, leaving John Dory, Spruce and Clay feeling guilty for hurting Branch and having second thoughts about leaving each other again. Meanwhile, Viva decides to help her sister after noticing Bridget, who is on her honeymoon with Gristle.
Branch reunites with Floyd. However, their reunion is cut short when Floyd, along with the other brothers, are placed in Velvet and Veneer's suits. Branch, Poppy, and Tiny chase after them, being followed by Bridget, Gristle, and Viva. While they manage to get John Dory, Clay, and Spruce out, Floyd is still stuck in Velvet's suit. Out of options and remembering what Poppy said, they decide to sing their "Family Harmony", with Poppy and Viva joining in. It works, but Floyd lays restfully. He manages to survive, while the brother-sister duo are arrested after Veneer tells the truth about their fame. Branch and Poppy kiss for the first time.
Back at Vacay Island, the newly-reformed BroZone performs their first song for a reunion concert, being helped by Branch's other boy band, who closely resemble NSYNC.
DreamWorks first announced Trolls 3 on November 22, 2021.[1] Outside of appearances in expos and titbits of information at the Universal Products & Experiences Mexico Summit in 2022, nothing has been shared, announced or revealed since then. On December 14, 2022, Anna Kendrick was confirmed to return as Poppy thanks to a Marketing Partnerships page alongside the confirmation of it's title.[2] One week later on the 21st, The L.A. Office and Universal shared the synopsis of the film via LinkedIn and confirmed Justin Timberlake would also return as Branch.[3]
On March 6, 2023, Theodore Shapiro was confirmed to compose the score for Trolls Band Together, returning from its predecessor. On September 14, 2023, following the release of the second trailer, DreamWorks announced that NSYNC would perform an original song for the film, called "Better Place" marking the group's first song in 22 years.
Reception[]
As of November 17, 2023, Trolls Band Together has grossed $103 million in the United States and Canada, and $106.5 million in other territories, for a worldwide gross of $209.5 million. [4][5]
Critical response[]
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 62% of 90 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.9/10. The website's consensus reads: "Trolls Band Together serves up another amusing, eye-catching outing that should entertain young fans of the franchise while remaining perfectly painless for parents." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 48 out of 100, based on 7 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.
This is the first DreamWorks Animation film to co-produced by Double Negative (DNEG) who recently worked on Netflix/Annapurna’s Nimona and Locksmith Animation’s Ron’s Gone Wrong.
Trolls is the second trilogy with two sequels distributed under a succeeding distributor (with the first film distributed by 20th Century Fox while World Tour and this film distributed by Universal Pictures) after Madagascar.
Trolls World Tour:The Other Side • One More Time • Rock You Like a Hurricane • Trolls Wanna Have Good Times • Crazy Train • Born to Die • Trolls 2 Many Hits Mashup • Leaving Lonesome Flats • I Fall to Pieces • Atomic Dog World Tour Remix • It's All Love • Perfect For Me • Russian Roulette • Mi Gente • Yodel Beat • Rainbows, Unicorns, Everything Nice • Barracuda • Just Sing • Don't Slack • Rock N' Roll Rules Trolls Band Together:Perfect • Let's Get Married • Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) • Watch Me Work • Vacay Island • BroZone's Back • 9 to 5 • Lonely People • Hustle Dimension • It Takes Two • Mount Rageous • Better Place • Family Others:Angel of the Morning • Love Train • Lookin' For A Holiday • The Holla-Day For You • Double-Down Speed Round • Friend Medley • Holiday • Trolls Holiday Score Suite • Cloud 9 • Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours) • Tiny's Journey • Together Now • Holiday in Harmony Score Suite
Locations
Troll Forest • Pop Village • Bergen Town • Volcano Rock City • Techno Reef • Symphonyville • Lonesome Flats • Vibe City • TrollsTopia • Mount Rageous • Vacay Island • Hole N' Fun
