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Return of the Killer Tomatoes! (1988) movie poster

Timeline

Return of the Killer Tomatoes! (1988) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1988 · 98 min · English
JustWatch #6,862 9
Directed by
John De Bello
Starring
George Clooney, John Astin, Anthony Starke, J. Stephen Peace, Charlie Jones, Frank Davis

A mad scientist's experiment goes horribly wrong, unleashing a new wave of killer tomatoes upon the world. This comedic sequel to the original cult classic follows the tomatoes as they wreak havoc and terrorize unsuspecting victims. Chaos and destruction ensue as humanity struggles to combat the deadly vegetables and Dr. Gangrene's sinister plan unfolds.

Sci-Fi Horror Comedy Cast, crew & box office
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 Return of the Killer Tomatoes!
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Return of the Killer Tomatoes! (1988)

Where can you watch Return of the Killer Tomatoes!? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Prime Video, ARROW and Amazon Prime Video Free: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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15 events in order · contains spoilers

Return of the Killer Tomatoes! Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Return of the Killer Tomatoes! (1988) 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. Wilbur Finletter's Rise to Fame

    Following the Great Tomato War, Wilbur Finletter gains fame for his heroic actions against killer tomatoes. He capitalizes on this recognition by opening Finletter's Pizzeria, a popular establishment dedicated to ensuring that tomatoes are never included in his recipes.

    Where
    Finletter's Pizzeria

  2. The Return of Professor Mortimer Gangreen

    Despite the defeat in the Great Tomato War, Professor Mortimer Gangreen plots his revenge. He teams up with his loyal sidekick Igor to devise a new plan aimed at creating a new wave of tomato terror, fueled by his lingering resentment over his past failures.

    Where
    Gangreen's Lair

  3. Gangreen's Ingenious Tomato Transformation

    Gangreen designs a peculiar device that immerses regular tomatoes in toxic waste and then places them into a transformation chamber linked to a jukebox. This innovative method allows him to create various forms of tomatoes based on the music played, turning them into formidable adversaries.

    Where
    Gangreen's Lair

  4. Tara's Creation and Betrayal

    To aid his villainous plan, Gangreen invents a captivating female tomato replica named Tara. Initially devoted to him, Tara becomes disillusioned with his cruel behavior towards a mutated tomato named FT and ultimately flees to Finletter’s Pizzeria, sparking a romantic connection with Chad.

    Where
    Finletter's Pizzeria

  5. The Fourth Wall Break

    As financial troubles intensify, characters in the film break the fourth wall to engage with the audience. They humorously suggest product placements as a means to attract funding, leading to comical demonstrations that poke fun at consumerism.

  6. Chad Follows Igor

    Driven by curiosity about Igor's activities, Chad decides to investigate and follows him to Dr. Gangreen’s facility. There, he witnesses the disturbing transformation process of a tomato into a human, which instills a sense of panic in both Chad and Tara.

    Where
    Gangreen's Lair

  7. Tara's Captivity

    After Chad's discovery, Tara is captured by Igor and returned to Gangreen's lair. The tension mounts as Chad and his friends formulate a daring plan to rescue her from the villain's clutches while grappling with their own predicament.

    Where
    Gangreen's Lair

  8. Desperate Rescue Plan

    Chad believes he possesses an ordinary tomato holding the spirit of Tara. Encouraged by Matt, they utilize Gangreen's transformation machinery in hopes of reviving Tara, leading to bizarre and unexpected outcomes during their experiments.

    Where
    Finletter's Pizzeria

  9. Imprisonment in the Dungeon

    As a response to their meddling, Dr. Gangreen captures Chad and Matt, imprisoning them in his dungeon. In this dark setting, they discover Tara, who has managed to evade danger so far, prompting a collaborative escape effort.

    Where
    Gangreen's Dungeon

  10. The Call for Help

    While trapped, FT manages to reach out to Wilbur, calling for the heroics he displayed in the previous adventure. This plea sets the stage for a comeback as Wilbur prepares to rescue his friends and confront the villain once again.

  11. Showdown with Gangreen

    As the final confrontation approaches, Dr. Gangreen activates his transformation chamber with a countdown. The stakes are high as he intends to turn Chad and Matt into tomatoes, while Tara remains in his possession.

    Where
    Gangreen's Lair

  12. Battle Against Transformed Tomatoes

    The climax erupts into a fierce battle between Wilbur’s team and Gangreen’s army of combat-ready transformed tomatoes. As the chaos unfolds, Chad and Matt must save Tara from the brink of disaster as her life hangs in the balance.

    Where
    Gangreen's Lair

  13. The Sacrifice of FT

    In a moment of heroism, FT sacrifices himself to save the townsfolk from Gangreen's evil plans. The selfless act solidifies his status as a hero, garnering admiration and appreciation from the grateful community.

    Where
    Gangreen's Lair

  14. A New Beginning

    With the defeat of Gangreen, Chad and Tara embark on a fresh chapter in their lives as they ride off into the sunset together. Wilbur gives his approval, while Matt basks in the aftermath, surrounded by alluring companions.

  15. Teaser for Future Chaos

    As the story concludes, a post-credits scene hints at a new threat looming on the horizon, featuring an army of mutated carrot soldiers. This teaser builds anticipation for potential chaos that could disrupt their newfound peace.

Last updated: November 17, 2024 at 19:46

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Timeline questions answered

Return of the Killer Tomatoes! Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Return of the Killer Tomatoes! (1988): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

How does Professor Gangreen's tomato transformation device work?

Gangreen builds a device that submerges tomatoes in toxic waste before placing them in a transformation chamber connected to a jukebox. The music played through the jukebox determines what form the tomatoes take, Michael Jackson's songs create clones of him, the Miami Vice theme produces Don Johnson lookalikes, seductive music turns tomatoes into beautiful women, and rock music creates soldiers. This technology forms the basis of his plan to take over the world.

  • transformation device
  • jukebox
  • tomato clones
  • music
  • toxic waste
Q2

Why does Tara switch sides and help Chad?

Gangreen creates Tara as a female tomato replica to assist in his villainous plan, but she becomes disillusioned when she witnesses his cruel treatment of FT (Fuzzy Tomato), a mutated tomato she's befriended. This cruelty prompts her to flee to Finletter's Pizzeria, where she forms a romantic connection with Chad and decides to help stop Gangreen's scheme.

  • Tara
  • betrayal
  • FT
  • Fuzzy Tomato
  • Chad
Q3

What is FT and why does it become a hero?

FT (Fuzzy Tomato) is a mutated tomato that Gangreen creates and treats cruelly. Tara nicknames him FT and grows sympathetic to his plight. During the final battle, FT sacrifices himself to save the townspeople from Gangreen's evil plan, proving that even a vegetable can be heroic. The grateful townsfolk hail FT as a hero.

  • FT
  • Fuzzy Tomato
  • sacrifice
  • hero
  • mutation
Q4

How does Tara become permanently human?

After Chad and Matt use Gangreen's transformation machine in an attempt to rescue Tara, she's captured again. During the final showdown, Gangreen threatens her with a gas chamber, and Chad and Matt rescue her at the last moment. However, exposure to the gas permanently transforms her, she retains human form but is now forever changed, allowing her to live a normal life with Chad.

  • Tara
  • transformation
  • human
  • gas chamber
  • Chad
Q5

Why do the characters break the fourth wall to discuss product placement?

The film includes a financial crisis storyline where characters acknowledge they need funding. They break the fourth wall to directly engage with the audience and suggest various product placements as a humorous solution. This meta-narrative device satirizes both B-movie financing and consumer culture, fitting the film's parody tone.

  • fourth wall
  • product placement
  • meta
  • funding
  • comedy
Q6

How does Wilbur rescue Chad and Matt from Gangreen?

While Chad, Matt, and Tara are imprisoned in Gangreen's dungeon, FT manages to contact Wilbur and calls for his help. Wilbur arrives with his team to confront Gangreen during the final showdown. They successfully thwart Gangreen's plan to turn Chad and Matt into tomatoes, free the captives, and defeat the villain's army of transformed tomatoes.

Foreshadowing: Wilbur's previous heroic deeds in the Great Tomato War established him as the go-to hero when tomato threats emerge.

  • Wilbur
  • rescue
  • dungeon
  • Gangreen
  • FT
Q7

Why does Chad believe a tomato contains Tara's spirit?

After Tara is recaptured by Igor and returned to Gangreen's lair, Chad becomes convinced that an ordinary tomato he obtained from the underworld actually holds Tara's spirit. This belief drives him and Matt to attempt using Gangreen's transformation machinery to restore her, though their experiments produce bizarre results before they ultimately rescue her directly.

  • Chad
  • tomato
  • spirit
  • transformation
  • Tara
Q8

What does the post-credits scene hint at?

After the main story concludes with Chad and Tara riding off together and the townspeople celebrating their victory, a post-credits scene teases a new threat. It reveals an army of mutated carrot soldiers, suggesting that the vegetables are continuing their evolution and setting up potential future chaos. This maintains the film's comedic tone while hinting at sequels.

  • post-credits
  • carrot army
  • teaser
  • sequel
  • threat
Q9

What is Gangreen's overall villainous plan?

Gangreen's scheme involves using his music-powered transformation technology to create an army of tomato soldiers. He plans to rescue his imprisoned ally Jim Richardson and install him as President of the United States, effectively putting his ally in power to control the country. The transformation chamber with its countdown serves as his weapon to achieve this domination.

  • Gangreen
  • president
  • Jim Richardson
  • army
  • world domination
Q10

What happens when Matt uses the transformation machine?

While Chad and Matt experiment with Gangreen's transformation machinery trying to rescue Tara, Matt sees visions of alluring women created by the machine, which interests him. However, their experiments produce various unexpected creations and don't successfully restore Tara, they ultimately have to rescue her directly from Gangreen during the climactic battle.

  • Matt
  • transformation machine
  • experiments
  • women
  • visions

Movie threads

More Movies Like Return of the Killer Tomatoes!, by Mood & Story

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

Meta Horror Parodies like Return of the Killer Tomatoes!

Absurd genre spoofs that revel in their own silliness and break the fourth wall. If you liked the self-referential jokes and genre spoofing in Return of the Killer Tomatoes!, you'll enjoy these movies. This list features similar comedies that break the fourth wall and parody sci-fi and horror movies with a wacky, absurdist sense of humor.

  • parody
  • meta-humorous
  • campy
  • wacky
  • absurd
  • playful
  • Tone: light, wacky, self-referential
  • Pacing: fast, gag-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives in this thread follow a simple monster-movie or mad-scientist plot, but the journey is constantly punctuated by meta-commentary, character asides, and jokes about the filmmaking process itself. The stakes are comically low, and the focus is on the string of gags and absurd situations rather than a suspenseful build-up.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared approach to comedy: using parody as a primary tool and embracing a meta-narrative that acknowledges the audience. They share a light tone, fast pacing, and a playful disregard for taking their own premises seriously.

Scary Movie 4 movie poster

Scary Movie 4

2006
Morons from Outer Space movie poster

Morons from Outer Space

1985
Scary Movie movie poster

Scary Movie

2000
Scary Movie 5 movie poster

Scary Movie 5

2013
Scary Movie 3 movie poster

Scary Movie 3

2003
Alien Autopsy movie poster

Alien Autopsy

2006
Return of the Killer Tomatoes! movie poster

Return of the Killer Tomatoes!

1988
Pandemonium movie poster

Pandemonium

1982

Movies with Wacky Cartoonish Chaos like Return of the Killer Tomatoes!

Fast-paced, low-stakes comedies where the world feels like a live-action cartoon. Fans of the cartoon-like chaos and campy fun in Return of the Killer Tomatoes! will find similar vibes here. This collection highlights movies with fast pacing, absurd humor, and a playful, low-stakes approach to their outrageous premises.

  • cartoonish
  • wacky
  • chaotic
  • campy
  • breezy
  • silly
  • Tone: playful, breezy, absurd
  • Pacing: fast, chaotic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern is one of constant, escalating silliness. Plots are simple frameworks designed to enable a rapid succession of chases, transformations, and humorous confrontations. Character arcs are minimal, with the focus squarely on the next outrageous event or visual punchline.

Why they belong together: This thread unites films through their shared 'cartoon logic' and emphasis on relentless, playful chaos. They typically feature a fast pace, light emotional weight, and a visual style that embraces the absurd, making them perfect for viewers seeking energetic, undemanding fun.

The Three Stooges movie poster

The Three Stooges

2012
Apocalypse Clown movie poster

Apocalypse Clown

2024
Delta Farce movie poster

Delta Farce

2007
Stay Tuned movie poster

Stay Tuned

1992
Mortadelo & Filemon: Mission Implausible movie poster

Mortadelo & Filemon: Mission Implausible

2014
UHF movie poster

UHF

1989
Nerdland movie poster

Nerdland

2016
Strange Wilderness movie poster

Strange Wilderness

2008

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Every angle

Return of the Killer Tomatoes! (1988) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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