Year: 2018
Runtime: 106 min
Language: English
Directors: Joe Ksander, Kevin R. Adams, Ricardo Curtis
Echo Score: 85Budget: $150M
A rebellious teenager forms an unlikely bond with a discarded war robot, embarking on a thrilling adventure to stop a villain’s scheme for global domination. Combining action, adventure, and humor, they must use their combined skills to outwit the dangerous forces unleashed when advanced technology falls into the wrong hands.
Warning: spoilers below!
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Read the complete plot breakdown of Next Gen (2018), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
In the futuristic city of Grainland, a young girl named Mai Su lives a seemingly perfect life with her parents. However, everything changes when a heated argument leads to her father leaving the family, and over the years, her mother Molly becomes increasingly consumed by her grief. In her struggle to cope, Molly buys several highly advanced robots called Q-Bots, which inadvertently causes Mai to feel neglected and isolated. As robots come to replace everything from educators to law enforcement, Mai develops a fierce aversion to them, making her an outcast among her peers.
Years later, as a teenager, Mai’s emotional turmoil continues unaddressed, with Molly being almost entirely unaware of her daughter’s struggles. When the launch event for the Gen 6 Q-Bots arrives, Mai’s disinterest leads her to abandon the line, leading to an encounter where she inadvertently destroys one of the troublesome robots. Cornered by security Q-Bots, she escapes into a chute that leads her to Dr. Tanner Rice’s secret lab, where he is developing a robot project called Project 7723, played by John Krasinski. Mai accidentally activates 7723, leading to a series of events that change both their lives forever.
As 7723 attempts to deliver Mai’s forgotten backpack, he faces various challenges, including hostile security bots that he skillfully evades. A catastrophic incident involving missiles leaves him with only three days’ worth of memory storage. Back at school, Mai encounters Ani and faces off with a bully named Greenwood, which only deepens her feelings of anger and rejection.
After Mai allows 7723 to stay in her garage, their bond deepens through a series of misadventures that reveal Mai’s growing fascination with 7723’s advanced weaponry. However, as 7723 approaches his memory limit, he faces the dilemma of which experiences to retain and which to delete. When thwarted by Justin Pin, the evasive CEO of IQ Robotics, and his fierce robot Ares, the stakes rise dramatically.
Mai and 7723 infiltrate the IQ headquarters to rescue her mother, who has been captured in a complex web of deceit orchestrated by Justin. Throughout their escapades, Mai learns to confront her own inner turmoil while also growing as a character who fights against the very machines she once abhorred. The thrilling climax involves high-stakes confrontations, strategic teamwork, and significant personal revelations, as Mai realizes the importance of the memories and connections that define her.
In a heart-stopping final battle, both Mai and 7723 make sacrifices, culminating in a bittersweet resolution where they must reestablish their bond from scratch. Despite losing access to his memories of Mai, 7723 eventually reactivates, setting the stage for new adventures. The film concludes with Mai, alongside her friends Greenwood and Ani, creating joyful memories with 7723 on the soccer field, a symbol of hope and resilience amidst adversity.
Last Updated: November 08, 2024 at 01:11
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Hopeful futuristic journeys where technology and emotion forge powerful friendships.If you enjoyed the bond between Mai and 7723 in Next Gen, you'll love these movies. This thread features stories where humans form deep, transformative friendships with robots or AI, blending exciting sci-fi action with heartfelt emotional journeys about connection and healing.
Stories typically follow a lonely or troubled protagonist who forms a unique bond with an advanced piece of technology. Together, they face a significant external threat, and the journey strengthens their connection while forcing the human to confront their own emotional wounds, often leading to a mix of victory and personal sacrifice.
These films are grouped by their core theme of human-machine friendship, a hopeful tone despite bittersweet moments, and a blend of accessible sci-fi action with a strong character-driven emotional core. They create a specific feel of technological wonder paired with heartfelt connection.
Fast-paced animated adventures about defiant teens finding their strength.Looking for more movies like Next Gen? This thread features fast-paced animated adventures about defiant teenagers who become unexpected heroes. These films combine exciting action sequences with strong emotional themes of grief, bullying, and finding your place in the world.
The narrative pattern involves a teenage protagonist, often grappling with feelings of isolation or loss, who is thrust into a larger conflict. Their initial rebellion is channeled into a heroic cause, and through the adventure, they learn to trust others, embrace their unique strengths, and mature emotionally while saving the day.
Movies here share a specific energy: a fast pace driven by a rebellious teen's perspective, a mix of medium-intensity action and medium emotional weight, and a focus on themes like coming of age, friendship, and overcoming adversity. The combination creates an uplifting and exciting viewing experience.
Don't stop at just watching — explore Next Gen in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Next Gen is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
Track the full timeline of Next Gen with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Next Gen. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.
Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Next Gen that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.
Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Next Gen: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.
Discover movies like Next Gen that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.
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