Back to the Outback 2021

At the Australian Wildlife Park in Sydney, zookeeper Chaz Hunt conducts an exciting show featuring some of the most terrifying animals. Among them is Maddie, an inland taipan who often evokes fear among the audience. Jackie, a caring saltwater crocodile and Maddie’s mentor, shares enchanting tales about their true home, the Outback, where unique creatures thrive amidst three majestic mountains.

However, trouble brews when Jackie is taken away from the park after attempting to rescue Chaz’s son, Chazzie. Misunderstood by the staff and visitors, Jackie is viewed as a threat. Heartbroken, Maddie decides to flee with her closest friends—Frank, a funnel-web spider; Zoe, a thorny devil; and Nigel, a marbled scorpion—to search for a peaceful new life in the Outback. Their escape is complicated when Pretty Boy, a well-known koala and their rival, attempts to alert the security team but ends up getting accidentally paralyzed by Nigel. Despite their reluctance, the group decides to bring Pretty Boy along, which is inadvertently captured on surveillance footage.

As they journey across Sydney Harbour, the gang crosses paths with Jacinta, a great white shark affiliated with the clandestine Uglies Secret Society (USS). Members of this group, deemed “monsters,” come together through a secret password: > “I’m ugly. You’re ugly. We should all be this ugly. Ugly is the new beautiful.” Upon reaching Circular Quay, Pretty Boy’s desperate attempts to gain help go awry, leading to chaos and a narrow escape thanks to Madd invoking the USS password, plunging them into the sewers.

They receive assistance from Legs, a redback spider and her crew as they navigate the sewer system. Meanwhile, Pretty Boy discovers the shocking news that he is presumed dead, with his fame usurped by a quokka named Giggles. During their frantic adventure, Chaz and Chazzie close in, determined to bring them back, leading to a series of calamities aboard an ice cream truck.

At one school, after freeing two love-struck cane toads, Doug and Doreen, the group happens to catch a ride on a bus bound for the Blue Mountains. Unfortunately, they cause chaos, attracting Chaz’s attention who uses this opportunity to chase them. After a series of misfortunes and misunderstandings, the group finds themselves at the edge of a cliff, with Pretty Boy and Maddie amidst the chaos.

Maddie and Pretty Boy’s relationship strains as they face challenges, with Maddie trying to comfort Pretty Boy as he struggles with his shattered popularity. However, when they are cornered by Chaz, who reveals his true intentions, Pretty Boy manages to summon the help of Tasmanian devils - Dave, Lucifer, and Beelzebub - to aid in their escape.

As their saga unfolds, it is revealed that Chaz’s glamorous zookeeper persona is a facade, and he yearns to redeem himself by rescuing the animals. Over the following days, various members of the USS—like Clive, a determined dung beetle, and Phil, a clever platypus—assist the group on their perilous journey toward their dream of freedom and safety in the Outback.

The climax reaches a tense showdown as Chaz, in an effort to recapture the creatures, unwittingly puts his son Chazzie in danger. It’s in this moment that Maddie confronts her fears, declaring to Chaz that she is not the monster he perceives her to be. After an intense rescue effort, where Maddie’s bravery emerges, Chaz has a change of heart, ultimately recognizing the animals as heroes deserving of a second chance.

With newfound freedom, the Outback inhabitants toast to their bravery as they reunite with Doug, Doreen, and Jackie, who emerges as the leader of the USS. Together, they embark on a promising new chapter, filled with hope and the spirit of adventure in their wild home.