Can of Worms

Can of Worms

Year: 1999

Runtime: 84 mins

Language: English

Director: Paul Schneider

FamilyComedyScience FictionTV Movie

Who’s Got Time to Be a Teenager When You Have to Save the World? A teen is visited by aliens after he broadcasts a message into space.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Can of Worms yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline – Can of Worms (1999)

Trace every key event in Can of Worms (1999) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Football injury and alien sighting

During a high school football game, Mike Pillsbury is injured and briefly sees an alien figure as a hallucination. The sighting unsettles him and fuels his belief that he doesn’t belong on Earth. His father urges him to stick with football despite the doubt.

During the game High school football field
2

Halloween party setup and sabotage

Katelyn Sandman asks Mike to help decorate the upcoming Halloween dance, pulling him into school social life. Scott Schriebner sabotages the light and music equipment, ruining the party mood. Mike leaves the event frustrated, questioning his place on Earth.

Halloween party night School gym
3

Distress call to outer space and dish destruction

Upset about the party, Mike uses a satellite dish to send a message to space asking to be rescued. A lightning strike soon afterward destroys the dish, leaving him without a way to contact the stars. The incident deepens Mike’s isolation and desperation.

The day after the Halloween party Mike's home
4

Barnabus arrives and explains the stargate

An alien dog named Barnabus appears and speaks through a translating device. He explains that Mike’s message opened a stargate and that a galactic organization handles disaster relief and rights violations. Time is limited as other aliens begin moving through the gate to find Mike.

Shortly after the dish incident Earth (Mike's location)
5

The Bom demands a galactic lawsuit

The Bom, an alien lawyer, insists Mike sue Earth for millions of galactic credits for pain and suffering. Mike is wary and refuses to cooperate, angering The Bom. The encounter highlights how alien interest in Mike’s situation is multiplying.

Following Barnabus' arrival Earth
6

Friends' disbelief and Katelyn's awareness

Mike's friend Nick worries that he is going crazy after hearing about aliens. A telephone call with Katelyn makes her realize that Mike is distracted by real extraterrestrial activity. The normal life at school and home feels increasingly fragile.

After The Bom's visit Mike's house / school
7

Earth's protection status threatened

Barnabus informs Mike that opening the message has signaled Earth’s advancement and, as a result, Earth is no longer eligible for intergalactic protection for primitive life. Mike faces a hard choice about leaving or staying. He weighs the safety of the Earth against his own need for escape.

After The Bom encounter Earth
8

Loafer Alien offers a deal

The Loafer Alien arrives and proposes becoming Mike’s agent, potentially letting him star in a weekly TV show about his life as an immigrant. Mike declines, preferring to stay grounded on Earth. Barnabus and the others watch, signaling a shifting dynamic in the alien offers.

Shortly after Barnabus' warning Earth
9

Aliens arrive with options; Katelyn learns

Several aliens materialize, each offering different terms for Mike’s future. Katelyn visits Mike’s house and becomes aware of the extraterrestrials, complicating his desire to disappear from Earth. The scene builds tension as Mike contemplates an escape.

Following Loafer's appearance Mike's house
10

Thoad arrives and uses Scott as bait

A dangerous Thoad appears and hunting for specimens. The kids urge Scott to act as bait to lure the Thoad through the stargate, convincing him he’s the perfect target. Scott agrees, sealing another stage of the plan to reach the alien world.

Moment the Thoad arrives Earth
11

Stargate voyage and Thoad's zoo

The stargate opens and pulls in Barnabus, the three children, and Scott as they pass through to the Thoad planet. They arrive in a cave where the Thoad keeps a zoo of captured species, including an alien resembling Mike’s imagined creature. The tension rises as the group confronts the Thoad.

Across the stargate opening Thoad planet – cave
12

Mike frees the captives

The Thoad fights back, but Mike uses the Thoad’s key to release the captured specimens, including Scott and Jay. The freed aliens and humans join the effort to escape. Barnabus monitors Earth’s response as the group edges toward home.

During the confrontation on Thoad planet Thoad dungeon
13

Intergalactic police arrest the Thoad

Barnabus contacts intergalactic police, who arrest the Thoad before he can capture more specimens. The stargate threat to Earth is neutralized, and the barrier of protection seems to be restored or reset. The team begins their journey back to Earth.

After the rescue on Thoad planet Earth and Thoad planet
14

Homecoming and choice to stay on Earth

Back at a football game, Barnabus informs Mike that his transmission was accidental and Earth is again classified as protected. Barnabus offers to take Mike away, but Mike chooses Earth as his home and says farewell. The story closes with Mike embracing his life on Earth.

End of story Football stadium

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 11:08

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Can of Worms Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Can of Worms

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Can of Worms Spoiler-Free Summary

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