Open Season 2020

In spring, Elliot finds himself in a strange, life-changing moment: giant new antlers have sprouted, and he is about to marry Giselle. When a accident cracks those antlers, a tremor of bad luck seems to follow, and whispers he hears during the wedding—spoken by Ian—nudge him toward doubt. The ceremony becomes a turning point, not only for Elliot but for how he measures fate, courage, and commitment. Meanwhile, a small-but-determined dog named Mr. Weenie uncovers a trail of biscuits left by his former owners and begins a new chase that will pull a forest full of friends into a high-stakes quest.

A rescue becomes the central aim as the story widens its circle from a couple’s dilemma to a full-blown mission. Elliot, feeling the weight of his decision and the fear of fortune, chooses to chase a different kind of rescue: a rescue of Mr. Weenie, and with it, a chance to test whether he can stand by his own choices rather than rely on the crutch of his antlers. Boog takes the lead among the wilds, with Elliot, Giselle, McSquizzy, Buddy, Serge, and Deni joining in a plan that promises danger, humor, and a test of trust among friends.

On the other side of the journey, a troupe of pets heads toward Pet Paradiso, a resort that blends human and animal comforts. Fifi, a toy poodle with a gruff attitude, speaks of his loathing for wild animals and recalls a run-in with a bug zapper that left him shaken. His companion, a basset hound named Roberto, lobbies against any wild interference, while two cats, Stanley and Roger, and two Southern dogs, Rufus and Charlene, fill the camp with their own quirks. Fifi’s attitude sharpens the tension as the wilds near Weenie, ruffling the calm of the vacation that the owners dream of. An escape is staged when Weenie slips free from chains while the owners pause at a gas station, and Elliot and Giselle clash in the wake of miscommunications and impulsive choices.

The pet camp becomes a focal point of disruption and discovery. Weenie and Buddy, who has shown a steadfastness to his friend, slip away from capture only to find themselves back in pursuit. The moment of false security is short-lived: a clever ruse from the wilds aims to slip into Pet Paradiso in disguise, hoping to retrieve their captured companions. Giselle dresses as a dalmatian and McSquizzy as a chihuahua, while Boog tests his own disguise, starting as a cat before switching to a sheepdog to blend in. Elliot sneaks inside by posing as Boog’s human owner, and for a time the plan seems to work as the group threads through the resort’s inner workings.

Tension boils over when the cover is blown. Giselle and McSquizzy are captured, and the rescue effort pivots from stealth to a full confrontation beneath the resort’s waterslide. Mr. Weenie, longing for his former pet life, slips away from the mounting danger to enjoy a moment of playful freedom, while Boog, Elliot, and Buddy grapple with the security forces that close in. Fifi’s ferocity intensifies as he wields a pile of shock collars like a weapon, threatening to end the chaos with a dangerous display. An argument between Elliot and Giselle—the latter accusing him of abandoning her at the altar and using Mr. Weenie’s supposed kidnapping as a pretext—crystallizes the emotional stakes of the mission.

The climax blends spectacle with a heartfelt confession. Boog makes a daring entry through the waterslide, triggering a chaotic flush that scatters the combatants. In the ensuing battle, the wilds and the pets clash not just for control, but for their own sense of belonging. Elliot, learning to trust himself beyond his antlers, moves to save Giselle in a decisive moment, even as he ends up with the shock collars on his own neck. He wrestles Fifi for the remote in a pool-side struggle, the remote slipping and changing hands until Fifi discovers that the collars have been redirected toward him. The shock takes its toll, sapping Fifi’s fur and his swagger, and marking a symbolic turning point in the uneasy truce between the two groups.

Friends become allies, and the day ends with new bonds. With the immediate danger subsiding, the wilds and the pets decide to put aside their differences and coexist as a team. Mr. Weenie, satisfied to return to a life as a pet, rejoins his human family with a joyful reunion. In the forest’s quiet aftermath, Elliot gathers the courage to voice his true feelings for Giselle, and this time he is met not with scorn but with a renewed sense of partnership. The two of them reconcile the wedding-day tension with a promise of shared, truer adventures to come, and they finally seal their bond with a wedding that aligns their hearts with the life they’ve chosen together.

Through it all, the film explores themes of identity, loyalty, and the power of choosing one’s own path. Elliot’s journey—his struggle between superstition and self-trust, between a ritual vow and the needs of the moment—becomes a meditation on what it means to belong, to protect friends, and to embrace love without hiding behind fear. The resort caper doubles as a playful backdrop for a deeper emotional arc: sometimes the bravest act isn’t marching toward a goal you’ve planned, but stepping forward in honest, unguarded moments to do what’s right for those you care about. In the end, the wilds and the pets find common ground, Mr. Weenie finds happiness on familiar terms, and Elliot and Giselle start a new chapter together—one grounded in honesty, courage, and the choices they make when the antlers come back to mind, not to define them, but to remind them of the strength they already possess.