Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget 2023

The curtain rises on Rocky (Zachary Levi), who sits amidst a nostalgic haze as he recounts his previous escapades to an enthralled audience - comprised of none other than his own egg, which has miraculously sprouted legs and is now frolicking in front of him. Ginger (Thandiwe Newton) and Rocky’s eyes are glued to the egg’s antics, their minds racing with memories of their harrowing past, when they outsmarted the sinister Mrs. Tweedy (Miranda Richardson) and escaped her clutches. As the tale unfolds, it becomes clear that the trio has found solace in a chicken sanctuary, where they’ve formed close bonds with fellow hens like Babs (Jane Horrocks), Bunty (Imelda Staunton), Fowler (David Bradley), and Mac (Lynn Ferguson). But as Rocky’s narrative reaches its climax, the egg finally gives way to a tiny miracle - their daughter, Molly (Bella Ramsey), has arrived.

As time passes, Molly becomes an integral part of the flock, gazing out at the world beyond their island home. She’s fascinated by the rats, Nick and Fetcher (Romesh Ranganathan and Daniel Mays), who bring her family treasures from the other side of the lake. Her parents, however, are left to grapple with Molly’s innate sense of adventure, which often puts them at odds. The young hen’s curiosity eventually gets the better of her, as she becomes fixated on what lies beyond their island - a mystery that Ginger still fears is too great to be solved. Meanwhile, Rocky harbors a secret from his past life as a performing rooster, carefully concealing his old posters from Molly.

The tranquility is disrupted when Ginger stumbles upon the wholesale destruction of trees and, accompanied by Mac and Bunty, discovers several trucks emblazoned with the Fun Land Farms logo, featuring happy chickens driving to an unknown destination. The hens are left wondering what dark forces are at play, and their leader, Ginger, convenes an emergency meeting to discuss their options. Despite initial trepidation, the gathering is relieved when they realize that their purpose is not to embark on another perilous quest, but rather to go into hiding to avoid detection by the newcomers. However, Molly’s insatiable curiosity ultimately gets the better of her, and she sneaks out under the cover of night while her fellow hens slumber peacefully.

As the quest to locate Molly unfolds, Ginger’s keen instincts prompt her to join forces with Rocky to track down their missing friend. Alongside Bunty, Babs, Mac, and Fowler, they embark on a mission to find Molly, who has inadvertently wandered into the clutches of another free-spirited chicken named Frizzle (Josie Sedgwick-Davies). The two form an unlikely alliance, convinced that the Fun Land Farms truck will provide the perfect opportunity for escape. Meanwhile, the other chickens give chase, but ultimately lose sight of their quarry.

Ginger’s determination to rescue Molly leads her and her friends to the doorstep of the Fun Land Farms factory. Rocky attempts a daring entrance, but his heroics are foiled by the facility’s advanced security systems, which leave him momentarily stunned. Ginger, undeterred, successfully navigates the obstacles and gains entry into the factory.

As she begins to formulate a plan to infiltrate the facility and save Molly, the hens turn to Nick and Fetcher for assistance. Initially hesitant, they are won over by Ginger’s assurance that Molly is in grave danger. The chickens concoct a clever strategy to gain entry, utilizing a cake as a diversionary tactic to deceive the guards. Meanwhile, Rocky, Nick, and Fetcher narrowly avoid catastrophe when they find themselves on the receiving end of a furnace’s scorching heat. A hastily improvised umbrella serves as their lifeline, propelling them to safety.

In a contrasting turn of events, Molly and Frizzle appear to be thriving in their new environment, unaware of the sinister forces at play. The presence of collars around the necks of the other hens sparks Molly’s growing unease, prompting her to begin plotting an escape from the facility. Her intuition is validated when she encounters Dr. Fry (Nick Mohammed), the mastermind behind the facility and its intricate mechanisms. As Frizzle falls prey to the doctor’s brainwashing, Molly realizes that time is running out for her and her fellow hens.

As Dr. Fry, a sinister figure with a penchant for poultry, welcomes Reginald Smith (Peter Serafinowicz), the proprietor of Sir-Eat-A-Lot family restaurants, he presents him with a peculiar video showcasing the “enriched” lives of the chickens that will eventually become their culinary mainstay. Molly and Ginger happen to enter the room simultaneously, only to be interrupted by a familiar, yet unsettling, voice as Mrs. Tweedy descends the stairs, her eyes gleaming with malice. The once-innocent Ginger is horrified to behold her nemesis, now remarried to Dr. Fry for his vast fortune, land, and intellectual prowess. With a twisted sense of satisfaction, Mrs. Tweedy demonstrates the mind-control process by programming one of the brainwashed hens to eagerly march into the processing machine, emerging as a neatly packaged chicken nugget destined for distribution. Reginald samples the product with relish, agreeing to partner with Mrs. Tweedy in her poultry pursuits.

Just as Mrs. Tweedy finalizes the deal, she detects Ginger’s presence and transforms from a calculating businesswoman into a vengeful predator. Dr. Fry is summoned to prepare Ginger for processing, but Babs, Mac, and Bunty intervene by hacking into the surveillance system. As they behold Mrs. Tweedy’s malevolent return, Rocky, Nick, and Fetcher share their horror with the trio. Rocky and the rats swiftly disable the cameras, enabling Molly to liberate her mother from the mind-control device. The group reunites, attempting to escape, but finds themselves trapped in a seemingly inescapable corn silo.

When Mrs. Tweedy discovers their predicament, she activates the grinder, intent on eliminating the chickens (and rats) that threaten her sinister plans. Molly laments being responsible for their dire situation until the group discovers Rocky’s earlier demonstration of making popcorn using fireworks and Mac’s glasses to reflect sunlight. With newfound hope, they use this innovative technique to propel themselves out of the silo and reclaim their freedom.

As Fowler watches anxiously, the group reunites on the rooftop, poised to embark on a daring zipline descent back into freedom. But Molly’s maternal instincts take over as she seeks to liberate Frizzle and the other hens from Mrs. Tweedy’s clutches. Ginger, ever the devoted parent, is quick to join forces with her daughter, while the others follow suit in a bold display of camaraderie. Meanwhile, Mrs. Tweedy readies the hens for their fate as nuggets, unaware that her own demise is mere moments away.

Reginald’s trucks roll in, only to be foiled by the chickens’ cunning rescue mission. As Mrs. Tweedy catches on, she activates the hens’ collars, compelling them toward the grinder with a deadly determination. The group frantically attempts to intervene as Ginger takes matters into her own hands, attempting to pilfer Mrs. Tweedy’s remote control. In a heart-stopping moment, Molly finds herself in the crosshairs of Mrs. Tweedy’s wrath, with the sinister farm owner threatening to kill her unless Ginger surrenders the remote.

Rocky springs into action, swinging in to rescue his daughter and leaving all three dangling precariously over the edge. Just as Mrs. Tweedy prepares to exact revenge, Rocky’s timely axe-work sends her plummeting into her own grinder, where she meets a fittingly crispy demise. With their nemesis neutralized, Ginger liberates the hens from their collars, freeing them from their impending doom.

As the heroes corral the rescued hens into one of Reginald’s trucks, Mrs. Tweedy reappears - albeit in a rather…crisp condition. Undeterred, she seizes an axe and gives chase before Fowler intervenes, sending her tumbling into a nearby moat. As Fry alerts her to the processor’s overheating woes, Mrs. Tweedy becomes the unwitting target of duck drones patrolling the waters. The very fabric of Fun Land Farms then unravels in spectacular fashion, leaving the heroes free to return home.

In the aftermath, Ginger and her allies welcome their new feathered friends into their sanctuary, expanding their haven to accommodate the newly rescued hens. Molly and Frizzle conduct reconnaissance on a nearby chicken farm, uncovering evidence of yet another operation crying out for liberation. Ginger and her crew - now seasoned veterans of rescue missions - rally together once more, poised to take on this new challenge with courage and conviction.