"Trolls" might not be the biggest animated movie franchise out there, but it has played an oddly crucial role in movie history. The first movie, which introduced singing troll protagonists Poppy (Anna Kendrick) and Branch (Justin Timberlake), was released in 2016 to generally warm reviews and a modest $346.9 million at the worldwide box office. When the coronavirus pandemic hit U.S. shores in 2020, shortly before the scheduled release of "Trolls World Tour," Universal Pictures made the bold decision to release the movie simultaneously in theaters and on Premium VOD.

Three weeks later, "Trolls World Tour" had reportedly racked up $100 million in digital rentals. Theater owners were definitely not happy, but studios across Hollywood saw a ray of hope breaking through the doom-laden clouds of lockdown. With "Trolls World Tour" having survived and thrived in the relatively untested waters of PVOD, the same approach was used for movies like "Bill & Ted Face the Music" and even Marvel's "Black Widow." Warner Bros. Pictures went all-in, announcing that every single one of its 2021 theatrical releases would get a simultaneous release on HBO Max.

With studios now pivoting back to a more traditional theatrical release model, the impact of "Trolls World Tour" may prove to be more of a speedbump than a long-term gamechanger. But they're not done making noise, and the first teaser trailer for "Trolls 3" is here to prove it.

Watch The Trailer For Trolls 3

The origin story of troll dolls, according to Good Luck Troll legend, begins with a poor Danish man called Thomas Dam. One year, Dam found himself unable to afford a Christmas present for his daughter, Lajla, and so instead carved her a little wooden doll from wood. Over the next couple of decades he refined his troll design, creating homemade versions out of natural rubber with sheepskin for hair, and finally mass-producing troll dolls from molded rubber and vinyl. With genuine Good Luck Trolls and cheaper knockoffs flooding the market, troll dolls had become a ubiquitous element of toy chests by the 1990s.

DreamWorks Animation has proven that Dam's ugly yet endearing creations still have the same power to enthral children as they did half a century ago. Now all we need is for Poppy to recreate the cup song from "Pitch Perfect," and the "Trolls" trilogy will be truly complete.

"Trolls 3" is set to release in theaters on November 17, 2023.

Read this next: Overlooked '80s Cartoon-Toy Franchises Ripe For Revival

The post Trolls 3 Trailer: The Hair-Raising Little Monsters Are Back On Stage appeared first on /Film.