Happy Tree Friends 3D

"They're dying to meet you."

- Tagline

Happy Tree Friends 3D is a 2019 3D 2D-animated black comedy film directed by Zack Keller and Ed Skudder and written by Kenn Navarro, Rhode Montijo, and Aubrey Ankrum. It is based on the series of the same name. The film was produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg through their Point Grey Pictures banner and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Development of the film began in 2014 when it was announced that Mondo Media, the company that animated Happy Tree Friends at the time, were planning a feature-length film based on the series. The film entered development hell shortly after it was announced. This was the case until January 2017, when it was confirmed that New Line Cinema had fully greenlit the film and won producing rights.

Happy Tree Friends 3D was released on March 8, 2019 to generally positive reviews, with praise for its black comedy, death sequences, and faithfulness to the series, but some criticism for its use of 3D and story. It grossed $110 million on a $22 million budget, making it a box office success. A sequel is in development.

Synopsis
"The world of our happy tree friends has always been peaceful throughout its lifetime, hasn't it? Well, that's where you're wrong, because when a centennial is being planned for their town, a cursed statuette wreaks havoc throughout, causing the deaths of those all around! So these friends need to get along and stop it from causing any more destruction."

-Warner Bros. Pictures

Major characters

 * Cuddles
 * Giggles
 * Toothy
 * Lumpy
 * Petunia
 * Handy
 * Nutty
 * Sniffles
 * Pop
 * Cub
 * Flaky
 * The Mole
 * Disco Bear
 * Russell
 * Lifty
 * Shifty
 * Mime
 * Flippy

Minor characters

 * Cro-Marmot
 * Splendid
 * Lammy
 * Mr. Pickels
 * Truffles

Voice cast

 * Jonah Hill as Cuddles
 * Tara Strong as Giggles
 * Sam Vincent as Toothy
 * Seth Rogen as Lumpy
 * Tabitha St. Germain as Petunia
 * Paul Rudd as Handy
 * Dee Bradley Baker as Nutty and Cub
 * Ashleigh Ball as Sniffles
 * Troy Baker as Pop
 * Andrea Libman as Flaky
 * Bill Hader as Disco Bear
 * Michael Cera as Russell
 * Danny McBride as Flippy
 * Ben Schwartz as Lifty and Shifty
 * Ariel Winter as Lammy
 * Additional voices:
 * Kenn Navarro
 * Nica Lorber
 * Rhode Montijo
 * David Winn
 * Dana Belben
 * Ellen Connell
 * Lori Jee
 * Warren Graff
 * Audrey Ankrum
 * Liz Stuart
 * Jeff Biancalana
 * Peter Herrmann
 * Michael "Lippy" Lipman
 * Mark Giambruno
 * Francis Carr
 * Renée T. MacDonald
 * Ken Pontac

Development
The film was first announced at San Francisco's Anime, Video Game, and Cartoon Convention (AOD 2015), when Warren Graff and Ken Pontac confirmed that a movie was being planned.

According to Home Plate Entertainment's webstie, the film was still in pre-production. But with no official word of its production since 2014, it is speculated that the project has halted or been scrapped altogether.

On January 10, 2017, it was confirmed that New Line Cinema had fully greenlit the film and won producing rights, confirming it would be a 3D animated film, with a scheduled release of April 5, 2019. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg were also attached to the film as producers through their Point Grey Pictures banner. Kenn Navarro, who left Mondo Media at the time, returned to write the film's screenplay.

Casting
Rogen had already confirmed he would be lending his voice in the film when it was announced he would serve as producer. Tara Strong and Jonah Hill were confirmed to be cast in lead roles in February 2, 2017. The next week, it was announced that Troy Baker, Ashleigh Ball, and Bill Hader were attached as Pop, Sniffles, and Disco Bear respectively. In June, Paul Rudd and Andrea Libman joined the cast as Handy and Flaky. The next month, Sam Vincent revealed he would also voice a lead role in the film.

Animation
Mondo Media provided most of the animation for the film, along Canadian animation company DHX Media through its Vancouver and Halifax operations and Six Point Harness, while the 3D effects were provided by visual effects company Sony Pictures Imageworks. According to co-director Zack Keller, he said: "The biggest challenge when creating a 3D traditional animated film is providing the VFX of it, as that would require a large amount of time and money. [...] However, I'm just glad we got the effects in, and not do it in some cheap way."

Music
In September 2018, it was confirmed that Brian Tyler would compose the score for the film. Daniel Ingram provided the songs in the film.

Release
Warner Bros. Pictures scheduled the film to be released on April 5, 2019, until it was removed from the schedule, with Shazam! taking its place. It was later pushed up to March 22, 2019.

Box office
In the United States and Canada, the film released alongside Captain Marvel and The Kid, grossing $64.3 million and $46.5 million overseas.

Critical reception
On review aggerator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 78% based on reviews by 121 critics, with an average rating of 6.75/10. The website's critical consenus reads, "Filled with bloodthirsty chills and thrills, Happy Tree Friends 3D is something that'll keep you attached to those cute and cuddly animals." On Metacritic, it has a score of 70 out of 100 based on 50 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences polled on CinemaScore gave the film an "A-" on an "A+ to F" scale, while those on PostTrak gave it a 81% approval rating, with 54% recommending it.

Sequel
New Line Cinema greenlit a sequel to Happy Tree Friends 3D on July 2, 2019, stating that "it will have more spooky tactics and creative sequences."