Next Gen 2018

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.