Tom & Jerry: Missing In Action is an upcoming 2020 American animated comedy adventure film. It will be the second theatrical film to star the cat-and-mouse duo Tom and Jerry, and the first film in the franchise to be rated PG-13.
Plot[]
In an office at Warner Bros. Studios, an executive is on the phone with another staff member, excitedly gushing over the recent slew of their various animated films, how successful they've been, and how convinced he is that they are pumping fresh new life into WB's animation department. Moments after his conversation, he hears a knock at the door, and he tells who he thinks is another staff member to come in. Instead, he is surprised to see Tom and Jerry standing at the door looking right at him, with the former trying but failing to hide his disgruntled face and the latter having a friendlier but still worried face.
The duo expresses to him, off-screen and with no dialogue, that they are getting concerned about, and tired of, the films they are and have been starring in recently. As seen in a flashback while this happens, what finally prompted this meeting was earlier that morning when, in the midst of yet another cat-and-mouse chase, they received copies by mail of the screenplays for their next three films: Tom & Jerry: Gone With The Wind, Tom & Jerry & My Little Pony, and The Tom & Jerry Horror Picture Show; they also received notifications that they start filming for the My Little Pony one in only a couple of days. The executive responds by saying that 1) neither he, the animation crew, the rest of the staff, nor the audiences have a problem with the crossovers, 2) that he is optimistic that they are going about reviving and giving appeal to the WBA branch the right way, and 3) the two should lighten up about the direction they're going in and not take it so personally. With another phone call coming in, he cuts the meeting short and leaves them with little to no reassurance whatsoever.
Feeling disappointed, frustrated, and that they are going to lose their minds if their actions and movements get severely limited in one more film, the cat and mouse together decide that something has to change and formulate a shake-up. They consult with a publicist (again, no dialogue), and with her help they are able to stage a huge serious split between them via newspapers, social media, and sensation magazines, causing much chatter amongst not only the whole WB Studios (in a montage including small cameos by other animated characters such as Bugs Bunny, Daphne Blake, and Droopy) but also the public. While the WBA staff is immensely freaking out and frantically trying to figure out what's going to happen with the crossover films and franchise knowing full well they aren't returning to the WB Lot, the cat and mouse have already jumped in a car with Tom in the driver's seat and headed straight out of LA on a road trip filled with hijinks, unexpected situations, and violent fighting.
Trivia[]
- Despite what the title may suggest, this movie is not the sequel to, nor related in any way to, Looney Tunes: Back In Action.
- Jerry's red bowtie, worn in The Tom & Jerry Show (1975) and Tom & Jerry Kids (1990-1993), returns in this film.
- Rated PG-13 for Moderate threat, violence, strong language, fight scenes, injury detail.
- Running Time: 113 Minutes - 108 Minutes.