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Project Power (2020) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2020 · 113 min · English
Echo score 60
JustWatch #4,812 19
Directed by
Ariel SchulmanHenry Joost
Starring
Dominique Fishback, Jamie Foxx, Allen Maldonado, Amy Landecker, Andrene Ward-Hammond, Casey Neistat
Budget
$85M

In New Orleans, the sudden appearance of a strange pill unleashes unpredictable superpowers among its users. Experiences vary widely, with some gaining incredible strength or invincibility, while others face dangerous side effects. As chaos erupts, a dedicated police officer, a resourceful street hustler, and a former soldier find themselves unexpectedly united. They must confront the shadowy organization responsible for the pill and work together to bring order back to the city, even if it means risking their lives.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (15)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Project Power
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Project Power (2020)

Where can you watch Project Power? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Netflix and Netflix Standard: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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15 events in order · contains spoilers

Project Power Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Project Power (2020) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Introduction of 'Power'

    In dystopian New Orleans, a distributor introduces a mysterious pill called 'Power'. This pill grants extraordinary abilities for five minutes to a group of drug dealers, including Newt, who is eager to profit from its effects.

    Where
    New Orleans
  2. Robin's Dangerous Encounter

    Six weeks after Power's introduction, Robin finds herself in a perilous situation when customers desperate for the drug attempt to rob her. Just as things seem dire, she is saved by NOPD officer Frank Shaver, who often buys from her.

    Where
    New Orleans
  3. Art's Hunt for Biggie

    A man named Art becomes determined to track down the distributor known as Biggie. His relentless pursuit is driven by the desire to uncover the truth behind the pill and the impact it has on the city.

  4. Tragedy Strikes Newt

    During a confrontation related to the drug trafficking, Newt dies from an overdose of Power. This tragic event deepens the urgency of Art's mission and further complicates Robin's situation.

  5. Frank's Suspension

    After Frank disrupts a bank heist led by a Power-fueled thief, he applies the drug himself and subsequently faces suspension. His captain reveals that higher-ups are pressuring the department to halt the investigation on the drug.

  6. Art Abducts Robin

    Art's pursuit of justice leads him to abduct Robin, coercing her into guiding him to the hidden cartel of drug dealers. Their forced partnership begins as they navigate through a dangerous world of crime.

  7. Art and Robin's Bond

    Injured during an encounter with cartel members, Art's vulnerability allows him and Robin to bond as they attend to his wounds. He shares the trauma of his past, revealing his connection to the secretive Teleios organization.

  8. Discovery of Project Power

    Art and Robin discover that users in New Orleans are being treated as guinea pigs for the drug. They realize the widespread implications of Power and the morally ambiguous experiments being conducted.

    Where
    New Orleans
  9. Confrontation with Biggie

    Art confronts Biggie at a secret demonstration of Project Power amid a crowd attending a game at the Superdome. The tension escalates as Biggie discusses the drug’s evolutionary significance and makes a shocking revelation.

    Where
    Superdome, New Orleans
  10. Biggie's Demise

    The confrontation culminates in chaos when Biggie consumes Power, leading to an explosion that kills him. Art, Robin, and Frank narrowly escape the devastation, marking a turning point in their fight against the drug.

    Where
    Superdome, New Orleans
  11. Art's Capture

    After learning crucial details about the Power epidemic, Frank apprehends Art. In their tense exchange, Art reveals the sinister connection of the drug to his daughter, who has been caught up in the experiments.

  12. Robin Finds Tracy

    While Art recklessly pursues his mission, Robin finds Tracy and successfully reunites her with Art. This emotional moment solidifies their allies' bond and strengthens their mission to expose the truth.

  13. The Showdown with Dr. Gardner

    In a climactic showdown, Art faces off against Dr. Gardner, the overseer of Project Power. Utilizing his extraordinary skills, he defeats her and rescues Robin, showcasing the power of their teamwork.

  14. Art's Sacrifice

    Despite their success, Art's use of Power takes a deadly toll on him. In a moment of hope, Tracy's unique abilities allow her to revive him, highlighting the themes of sacrifice and familial bonds.

  15. A New Beginning

    With a renewed sense of purpose, Art gifts Robin his truck and cash. This act signifies a fresh start for all as they choose to leave their dark pasts behind and look forward to a brighter future.

Last updated: November 16, 2024 at 17:12

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Timeline questions answered

Project Power Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Project Power (2020): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Newt die after taking Power?

Newt dies from an overdose of Power during a confrontation with Art. The pill's effects are unpredictable and dangerous, some users gain incredible abilities while others experience fatal side effects. Newt's death highlights the lethal risk of taking Power, as the drug essentially turns users into unwilling guinea pigs for Teleios's experiments.

  • Newt
  • Power pill
  • overdose
  • death
  • side effects
Q2

What is Teleios and what is their connection to Power?

Teleios is a private defense firm behind Project Power. They developed the drug through human experimentation, seeking to create soldiers with superhuman abilities. Art was one of their test subjects who gained powers, and they later kidnapped his daughter Tracy to study her natural abilities. The company is using New Orleans as a testing ground for the drug.

Foreshadowing: Art mentions being experimented on by Teleios early in the film, establishing their role in creating Power.

  • Teleios
  • defense contractor
  • human experimentation
  • Project Power
  • drug creation
Q3

Why does Art abduct Robin?

Art kidnaps Robin to force her to lead him to the drug cartel's hideout. He believes she knows the distributor Biggie's location since she's been selling Power. Though his methods are aggressive, he's driven by desperation to find Biggie and uncover the truth about the drug that's plaguing the city and potentially related to his missing daughter.

  • Art
  • Robin
  • abduction
  • Biggie
  • cartel
Q4

How does Tracy have powers without taking the pill?

Tracy was born with natural abilities, making her extremely valuable to Teleios. Unlike users who must take Power to gain temporary abilities for five minutes, Tracy's powers are innate and permanent. This is why Wallace, a Teleios operative, abducted her, to study her genetics and potentially replicate her abilities in other subjects.

  • Tracy
  • natural powers
  • Teleios
  • abilities
  • genetics
Q5

Why does Art die at the end of Project Power?

Art dies from the severe physical toll of using Power. While the pill grants incredible abilities, it comes with a deadly price, the exertion of his powers proves fatal. However, Tracy uses her unique abilities to revive him, bringing him back to life. This sacrifice underscores the movie's theme of family bonds overcoming even death.

  • Art
  • death
  • sacrifice
  • Tracy
  • revival
  • Power toll
Q6

What is the Genesis vessel in Project Power?

The Genesis is a ship where Teleios conducts their most advanced experiments on Project Power. It's the headquarters for Dr. Gardner, who oversees the operation. Art allows himself to be captured and taken to the Genesis so he can infiltrate the facility and rescue his daughter Tracy.

  • Genesis
  • ship
  • Teleios
  • Dr. Gardner
  • laboratory
Q7

Why does Biggie explode when taking Power?

Biggie dies in an explosion when he consumes Power during his confrontation with Art at the Superdome. The drug's effects are unstable and unpredictable, while some users gain abilities, others experience catastrophic reactions. Biggie's death demonstrates the dangerous reality of Power: it's an experimental drug with lethal consequences for many users.

  • Biggie
  • explosion
  • Power
  • death
  • Superdome
Q8

Why is the government covering up Project Power?

Frank's captain reveals that government officials are pressuring the NOPD to halt the investigation into Power. The department is being directed to stop pursuing the case because the drug is connected to Teleios, a defense contractor with powerful government connections. This cover-up protects the interests of the corporation behind the dangerous experiment.

  • government
  • cover-up
  • Teleios
  • corruption
  • NOPD
Q9

Why does Frank help Art escape at the end?

Frank helps Art because he learns the truth about Project Power and realizes the police department is compromised. His captain is taking orders from Teleios, so Frank decides to assist Art in exposing the conspiracy. After witnessing the destruction caused by Power and understanding Art's mission to save his daughter, Frank chooses to let Art go so he can continue his fight.

  • Frank
  • Art
  • escape
  • Teleios
  • conspiracy
  • betrayal
Q10

Why does Power only last for five minutes?

Power's effects are intentionally temporary by design. The drug was created as a weapon that grants abilities only briefly, making users controllable and dependent on repeated doses. Biggie claims this represents "the next evolution of the human species," but the five-minute limitation reflects Teleios's goal of creating short-acting superhuman soldiers rather than permanent enhancements.

  • Power
  • five minutes
  • duration
  • abilities
  • weapon
Q11

What happens to Robin at the end of the movie?

At the end, Robin pursues her dream of becoming a rapper. Art gives her his truck and a bag of cash to support her mother's health needs, encouraging her to embrace her potential. She represents the hopeful future for ordinary people caught in the chaos of Project Power, choosing to move forward rather than remain in the dangerous world of drug dealing.

  • Robin
  • rapper
  • ending
  • truck
  • future
  • hope

Movie threads

More Movies Like Project Power, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Project Power tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Ethical Sci-Fi Thrillers like Project Power

High-tech dangers tested on the streets, forcing heroes to confront the moral cost of power. If you liked the gritty, high-stakes world of Project Power, explore more movies like it. These urban sci-fi thrillers combine explosive action with thought-provoking questions about technology, power, and morality, often set against a dystopian city backdrop.

  • gritty
  • tense
  • urgent
  • dangerous
  • cynical
  • hopeful
  • Tone: dark, cynical, urgent
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories typically unfold with the introduction of a dangerous new technology or substance into a vulnerable urban population. A reluctant hero or group is forced to confront the powerful entity behind it, leading to a high-stakes conflict where personal sacrifice and moral lines are tested amidst intense action sequences.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared core of a sci-fi premise grounded in a tangible, often decaying urban world. They mix high-intensity action with a dark, cynical tone and a heavy emotional weight derived from themes of exploitation and sacrifice, creating a distinct, propulsive viewing experience.

Movies about Unlikely Alliances like Project Power

A cop, a soldier, and a hustler walk into a conspiracy. They might be the only hope. Fans of the team dynamic in Project Power will enjoy these films. Discover movies where a cop, a soldier, and a civilian must form a reluctant partnership to battle a formidable foe, filled with tense action and character-driven drama.

  • tense
  • urgent
  • hopeful
  • traumatic
  • dangerous
  • gritty
  • Tone: dark, bittersweet, urgent
  • Pacing: fast, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern centers on a crisis that forces a law enforcement officer, a morally grey expert, and a figure with a military or traumatic past into a temporary alliance. Their journey involves overcoming mutual distrust, leveraging their specific talents, and facing personal demons to achieve a shared, desperate goal against a superior force.

Why they belong together: This grouping is defined by a specific character archetype dynamic and the resulting narrative tension. The films share a fast pace driven by the urgency of the mission, a heavy emotional weight from the characters' sacrifices, and a bittersweet tone as the alliance is tested to its limits.

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Movies Like Project Power

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Every angle

Project Power (2020) Explained: Plot, Ending, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Project Power in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning, the ending explained and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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