The Emoji Movie (Script)

GENE: The world we live in. It's so wondrous, mysterious, even magical. No. No, not that world. I meant this one. The smartphone. Each system and program and app is its own little planet of perfect technology, all providing services so necessary, so crucial, so unbelievably profound.

- (GASPS) Look who just sent me a text.

- Hmm?

Addie McAllister?

Must be a mistake. Or a joke.

Or a scam.

Don't send her your

Social Security number.

- Dude. Shh!

- (GRUNTS)

She's right there.

GENE: That's our user, Alex.

And, like every freshman in high school, his whole life, everything, revolves around his phone.

And, as the pace of life gets faster and faster...

- TEACHER: Phones down in five.

- (GIRL LAUGHS)

GENE: And attention spans get shorter and shorter and...

You're probably not even listening to me right now.

Who has the time to type out actual words?

And that's where we come in, the most important invention in the history of communication... Emojis. That's my home. Textopolis. Here, each of us does one thing, and we have to nail it every time. The Christmas Tree just has to stand there all festive.

Merry Christmas.

It's still September, Tim.

- GENE: The Princesses...

Ah, I am so pretty.

GENE: They just got to wear their crowns and keep their hair combed.

- You guys, we are so pretty.

GENE: Devil, Poop, Thumbs Up. They just show up, and they're good to go. But for the faces, the pressure is on. Crier always has to cry, even if he's just won the lottery.

Hooray! I'm a billionaire!

GENE: The Laugher is always laughing, even if he's just broken his arm.

I can see the bone!

GENE: Now, me, I'm a Meh. So I got to be totally over it all the time, you know, like, "Meh, who cares?" Which is not as easy as it sounds.

(SINGING) ♪ I gotta be ♪

♪ Meh ♪

♪ I gotta be ♪

♪ Meh ♪

Morning, Mrs. D.

I see you have the little minis with you.

Oh, they're so cute.

That is so adorable, I can't take it!

Now I'll never get them to sleep.

Stick to your one face, weirdo.

(SINGING) ♪ Olé! Olé! ♪

No! Oh, No!

GENE: It's hard to always act blasé, when living in Textopolis is just so exciting.

(BRITISH ACCENT) Hello, good simians. Those are some sharp attachés.

Yes, well, we have business to attend to.

- What kind of business?

- Monkey business.

Ooh, ooh! I sounded British!

Meh. Oh, that was really good.

Meh. Meh. (LAUGHS)

That was a great...

- Whatcha doing there, mate?

- Practicing.

Today is my first day on the phone. Oh, boy. I'm gonna be so meh. What are you gonna do?

Ah, me and the boys are gonna throw ourselves on the barbie! Here's my sauce now.

G'day, mate.

Hey. Konnichiwa.

- (EMOTICONS GRUNTING)

- Ooh, sorry, emoticons!

I hate knocking over the elderly.

Here, let me help, let me help.

(GROANS) Oh, my colon!

- (GASPS) Is that the time?

- Hey, my eyes are up here, pal.

GENE: Yeah! All right!

(WHOOPS)

Right on time.

ELEPHANT: So, last week, Alex sends me next to this guy.

(LAUGHING) That kid! Where does he get this stuff?

Why are you laughing, freak?

(DERISIVE LAUGHING)

GENE: Now, unlike me, my parents are total pros.

Gene, please tell me you weren't laughing just now. In public.

Uh...

Oh, he was. I remember.

Let's go somewhere more private.

I have some bad news, Gene. And I'm afraid you'll have the wrong reaction.

Okay. What's the wrong reaction?

Anything other than "meh. "

Mmm.

Come on. I don't want to be late.

I'm not letting you go to work today.

- Wait, what?

- You're just not ready, son.

Come on! Working in the cube is an emoji's whole purpose in life. Everybody my age is working on the phone except for me.

Oh, sweetie, that's not true.

Yeah! I'm gonna work on the phone, and I'm only 10.

That's because I believe in you.

Should we wash our hands?

POOP: No, no, no.

POOP AND POOP JR.: We're number two!

We're number two! We're number two!

See? I... I know I'm different, okay? But when I need to, I can be meh. I just... I want to be a working emoji, you know, like... Like everybody else, and then... Then I would finally fit in, you know?

Oh, you fit in, honey.

No, I don't, Mom. I never have. But I can change all that if you'd just let me. Just give me a chance.

But what if you get sent out on the phone, making the wrong face?

No, Dad, I'll make the right face. Look. Meh...

You're so handsome when you make that face. I think he's ready, Mel.

Meh.

Come on, Dad. Let me prove it to you.

If you really think you're ready.

I am! Yes! Yes. I promise, I won't let you down.

SMILER: Congratulations, everyone! What an exciting day for all of you.

Oh, it's really her.

- Oh, Pizza!

- Your first day on the job. (CHUCKLES) Hi. Hi. Don't be nervous. I won't bite. Hi. I'm Smiler. Uh-oh, don't touch me.

- Hi! I mean, hey.

As you know, I'm Smiler. I am the system supervisor here because I was the original emoji. Here's how it works. It's nothing fancy. Wait a minute. It's really fancy! You each have your own cube on the emoji bar. If Alex chooses you, should you be so lucky, your cube will light up.

It's showtime.

SMILER: The scanner will scan you, and that scan will get sent right up to Alex's text box. And let me tell you, guys, (CHUCKLES) there is nothing like getting scanned for the first time. You're gonna love it. Really.

- (WHISPERS) Wow.

Now, over here is the favorites section where you'll find all the most popular emojis. And, of course, you'll find my cube here. (LAUGHS)

Whew.

You are smooth.

Just doing my duty.

(LAUGHS)

What? What did I say?

Rocket looking to party. (WHOOPS)

Come on, tell me you aren't just a little bit tempted.

Steven, for the last time, I don't want to buy a time-share.

- (LAUGHS)

Come on, man, it's Hi-5. You know me, I'm a favorite.

Alex hasn't picked you in weeks. And if he stops picking you, you're no longer a favorite.

It's got to be some sort of mistake. I mean, look at me, I'm an attractive hand giving a high five.

- Oh. Fist Bump. Come on in.

- Hey.

- Ladies.

- Fist Bump? He's a knucklehead. Literally. Look at him. I can look like that.

- Aah! Ow! Cramp. Huge mistake.

(GRUNTING)

Help. Help me. Help up the hand.

- (GRUNTS) There you go.

- Thanks, mate.

Hey, little Meh, how about you create a distraction, and then I'll just slip under the rope?

- Uh-oh. Is someone lost?

Smiler, hi. Just leaving. Yeah, you know, just killing time before I go back to my cube in the far corner where Alex can't even see me anymore!

You may not be a favorite anymore, but you will always have a place in the cube.

Yeah, in the nosebleeds.

Uh, I'm standing right here. Words hurt.

The most important thing I can tell you is to just be yourself. I was made to be happy, so I am always smiling. (LAUGHS)

REGGIE: (OVER SPEAKERS) Places, please. Emojis to your cubes.

Attention. We've got incoming.

Got to be meh. Got to be meh. Oh, my gosh, my own cube. I can't believe it. Oh, oh. I could put a plant over here. And over here could go an inspirational calendar. Okay. Got to be meh. Got to be meh.

MARY: Look at our son down there. I'm just beaming with pride.

Mel: You don't think he'll actually get picked, do you?

Hie-ro-gly-phics. Hieroglyphics was an ancient language of picture forms.

Does that remind anyone of anything?

Hello? A language of pictures.

Anyone?

(SIGHS) Early hieroglyphs date back as far as 3,300...

(SOFTLY) I got to reply to Addie's text.

- What should I write?

- Nothing.

- Nothing?

- Words aren't cool.

(GASPS)

Okay. Be cool. Be cool.

(MECHANICAL WHIRRING)

All right, Alex is not sure how he wants to play this.

Oh, I would really love it to be me.

Beam me up! Beam me up!

I need Thumbs Up on standby.

Oh, yeah! Thumbs Up is going in!

REGGIE: Wait! Alex is changing his mind. He's moving.

Okay. Looks like it's gonna be Meh.

I'm so nervous, I could almost shrug.

We are go for Meh. Initiating scan.

Okay. You can do this. - (SCREAMS) I can't do this! I can't do it!

Poop" What is this?

- (SCREAMS)

Stop the scan!

I can't! It's too late!

(PANICKED GASPING) Meh, meh, meh, meh. My goodness, I'm freaking out!

- What's he doing?

- He's making the wrong face!

Good for him! Little... Wait, what?

- Be meh! Be meh! Be meh!

- (BOTH SIGH)

Abort! Abort!

Oh!

Shut it down! Shut it down!

ALEX: What is that emoji?

- Wrong emoji sent! Evacuate the Meh cube!

- REGGIE: Evacuate the cube!

- I got to get out of here. (SCREAMS) Whoa, whoa!

REGGIE: Get that bozo out ofthere!

I'm trying!

Oh, my God.

POOP: Oh, the humanity.

(STRAINING) Medic.

Sorry, everybody. That was not what I meant to do. (CHUCKLES) I kinda... I kinda panicked.

Are you even a Meh at all?

Uh, who? Me?

Course he is. He's my spitting image.

If you have expressions other than meh, what you are is a malfunction.

Malfunction?

No! I can be meh. Just give me one more chance.

Oh, that's not gonna happen. You know what would be really fun? A board meeting.

Where we could figure out what to do with you!

I knew there was something wrong with him.

A malfunction?

What's gonna happen to him?

EMOJI 1: He can't work on the phone.

EMOJI 2: What would Alex think?

EMOJI 3: That's the guy.

EMOJI 4: What do his parents think?

I just wanted to be useful, you know? Fit in. Now everybody thinks I'm a malfunction. (SCOFFS) I am a malfunction.

Even if you are a malfunction, Gene, your mom and dad still love ya.

I knew you weren't ready. Let's get you out of here and take you home.

One day, all this will blow over, and everyone will almost forget about what you did. Until then, you should probably stay locked up in the apartment.

Wait. You want to hide me away? You're embarrassed of me.

It's for your own safety.

We're trying to protect you, son. Gene? Where are you going?

I'm not gonna run away from this. I'm an emoji, and even though I'm not sure exactly which one, I've got to have some sort of purpose here. I know it.

- (ELEVATOR BELL DINGS)

Gene, no.

Sweetie, please.

Oh, boy.

EMOJI 1: A malfunction...

EMOJI 2: Order! Order The motion is carried.

(GASPS)

- So, how'd it go, Gavel? Hey, Light Bulb, tell me what's going on in there. (GASPS) What? Poop, what is it? Tell me, turd. Tell me true. What happened?

I know it was an accident. We all have accidents.

You're so soft, Poop.

Not too soft, I hope.

SMILER: Gene! We were just gonna come looking for you. Why don't you come inside the boardroom, and we can have a teeny, weeny chat.

Um, I came up here to defend myself, but you seem pretty happy. So, good news?

(LAUGHS) Right. I'm always happy.

Oh, right. Hashtag truth. (CHUCKLES)

SMILER: Well, the only thing that could ever make me unhappy is if one of our emoji team made a mistake, which caused Alex to lose faith in the phone. And then our whole world gets wiped out.

Smiler, I double-pinky-swear promise to you that I will never, ever make a mistake in the cube again.

Oh, we know you won't, Gene. (LAUGHS) We know you won't.

(CHUCKLES) You know, the first time you said it, it sounded genuine, but then you repeated it, and then, that was weird.

- That's because we're setting you up with our best Anti-Virus Bots.

So, they'll like, uh... They'll just... They're gonna fix me?

Actually, delete you. But yes!

- Wait, what?

- If you get deleted, (MUFFLED) you don't have to worry about what your purpose is or the future or why you're such a malfunction. 'Cause you're deleted, right? All right, good talk. - Bots! (LAUGHS)

SMILER: Don't let him escape!

HI-5: Party time! Wait a minute...

(LIVELY CHATTER)

(HI-5 INHALES AND EXHALES DEEPLY)

The air is better here.

(LAUGHS)

- Beer, Tea.

- I'm Coffee!

Sorry. Sheesh. So edgy.

(LATIN MUSIC PLAYING)

(HI-5 GASPS)

(EXHALES HEAVILY)

Oh, my old cube.

- Take a hike, Mike.

My name's not Mike.

(SCREAMS) What?

- There's AV Bots coming!

For me? Just because I'm in the wrong section?

- Holy deleto!

- What do we do?

- Quick! This way!

Let's go.

Don't tell anyone you're about to see this. They'll never find us down here.

GENE: Where are we? The basement?

No. Welcome to the Loser Lounge, where the emojis who never get used hang out.

Go fish, Fish Cake With Swirl. (LAUGHS)

(LAUGHS)

BROOM: Sweep so you won't cry. Sweep so you won't cry. (SOBS) Sweep so you won't cry.

I almost got deleted. Me, Hi-5.

Hey. What's up, Hi-5?

They weren't trying to delete you. They were trying to delete me.

You? What's so important about you they'd send out an entire team of Bots?

They say I'm a malfunction.

Oh, you bringing malfunctions in here now, Hi-5?

For crying out loud, Abandoned Luggage, that had better not be my leftover Chinese food.

What Chinese food?

Do you have any idea what it's like to be living large, hashtag blessed, the favorite of the favorites, and then demoted to this pit of despair? Here, will you hit my calluses for me?

At least you're a working emoji. That's all I ever wanted.

Well, if that's all it'll take for you to be satisfied, then just find a hacker and get reprogrammed. It's not that complicated.

Where would I find a hacker?

In the Piracy app. Duh. Ah, who took my clear nail polish?

- Piracy app? To get there, I mean, I'd have to leave Textopolis.

So? I've done it. Would you be a brother? One of the Princess emojis left the phone altogether. Now she lives on the cloud. Mmm. Oh, that is good. I'm sure the hacker that helped her do that could easily reprogram you. The name's Jailbreak.

- Jailbreak? That's great! Reprogrammed. I just need to be reprogrammed, and then, I can finally be the Meh I was meh to be. Help me find that hacker, Hi-5. Will you? Please? Maybe this hacker could help you, too. Like rewrite some code, get you into the favorites section.

(GASPS) Wait a minute. Ow. I've been trying to use my charisma and sense of entitlement to get me back on top, but all I need is a hacker. Today's your lucky day. Let's roll.

Hey, can I come, too?

Talk to the hand, Red Wagon.

I thought I was.

Bye, Felicia. Ciao, Fish Cake with Swirl. Daddy's heading back to the VIPs where he belongs!

Wait. What about the Bots?

Good point. Good point.

GENE: Ouch! Ow, ow, ow. Oh.

Hey. Mmm.

HI-5: Shh!

GENE: I shouldn't have picked the cactus. I just... I shouldn't have picked it.

- You didn't even try to get the tree. It's baffling. Let's go.

Hi-5? Hello? Hi-5? Where are you?

- HI-5: I'm right here! Gene! Here we are, end of the text app.

No way.

Come on, Gene. It's perfectly safe. (SCREAMS) Oh, no! - Gene, help me! - The wallpaper monster's got me!

- Oh, no! Hold on, hold on! - Hi-5! Oh, no. This is all my fault! I'm so sorry, Hi-5! I'm...

- I'm just messing with you. It's one of those rubber finger-monster puppets from the '80s. I collected the whole set. All right, you coming?

Uh, what do I do?

- What do you mean? Just take a step through the other side.

GENE: This is it. The next time I come back here, I'll be a real Meh. Hi-5?

Are you finished?

Where are we?

Welcome to the Wallpaper.

GENE: Wow! This place is incredible.

- Each app is its own unique world. That's my face. You're on my... Thank you.

GENE: What is this place?

HI-5: WeChat.

GENE: It's like a whole other world.

HI-5: Oh, it is.

Gene: What are they?

HI-5: They're Bubble Pups. They might be cute, but, man, are they clingy.

Bubble Pups?

They're stickers, Gene. Try to get with the program.

This is so cool. Wait. What's in that one?

WOMAN: Guys, look at this picture. Look at my baby.

MAN 1: This is what I ate for breakfast. This is what I ate for lunch!

- MAN 2: Here's me on a hike! Here's me in the gym!

Here's me in the bathroom!

Everybody's talking about themselves. How does he know so many people?

None of these people know him, but they like him, and that's what matters in this life, popularity.

Uh... I... I think I'd... I think I'd rather just have a real friend.

HI-5: A real friend? How's that gonna get you anywhere? What you need are fans. They give you complete and unrelenting support. As long as you're on top.

MARY: Poor Gene. I blame myself.

I blame you, too.

I just wanted to be supportive.

You just wanted a vacation.

(GASPS) You take that back, Mel Meh.

Bots.

If they haven't found Gene by now, he must have skipped town.

You mean the Wallpaper?

Our boy's on the run.

How about we find him ourselves?

Yeah, for sure.

Tell all Bots to follow those Mehs. I'm sure they'll know all the freaky-deaky apps Gene will hide out in. I'm really good at making plans, you guys. Right?

HI-5: Here we are. The Piracy app. This is where we'll find Jailbreak.

Um... But this is the Dictionary.

That's just what Alex wants his parents to think. This is called a skin.

Really? What could a teenage boy possibly want to hide from his parents?

Just try to keep up. This place can get a little rough.

Ahoy, mateys. Look who's back! Hi-5! (LAUGHS) I'm a bit of a celebrity here. Always welcome. Ow!

PIRATE: Loser!2

Come on. Follow me.

Oh, great. Emojis. I thought the conversation just got dumber.

Ugh. Internet trolls. Just ignore them.

Eventually, they'll get a job or a girlfriend or some sort of purpose in life, and they'll stop. Virus. We'll just... We'll just walk over this way.

Hi! It's so great to see you again.

Do I know you?

It's Spam. Just sign here and I can get you special discounts on vitamins and credit card offers that can save you up to 25%.

25%?

No, no, no, don't get sucked in. Back off, Spam! It's the only way to deal... Back off!

Thank you very much! You can illegally download our CD right here.

Hey, Trojan Horse. How are you?

Yeah, what'll it be, hand?

I'll have a bottle of "Hack Daniel's. Maybe with a plate of cheese and hackers? Capisce?

You trying to find a hacker? You can just ask, you know.

- Oh, sorry. Um, yes. We're looking for a hacker named Jailbreak.

I know a guy that can hook you up.

Right over there.

- HI-5: Oh. He looks capable.

No, not him. Her.

Wait. He's a she?

Hey, Jailbreak.

- Mind if we join you?

- Yes.

That's the thing about the Internet, isn't it? You can never tell if someone's being ironic or sincere.

I sincerely, unironically want you to go away.

(LAUGHING) That's a good one.

So, here's the thing. My friend Gene here has a little problem.

Well, see, I'm supposed to be a Meh, but I don't really feel...

Right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, that's good. And we thought you could help, since you got the Princess, you know, off the phone.

- Not interested.

Whoa. Hold up. That's not a Meh face.

Bots! They're after me!

How are you doing that?

Look, it's just something I can do. Can you help us?

Follow me.

Bots! Delete my history!

I corrupted the entire hard drive.

Uh, I made the most delicious cinnamon buns.

Uh, maybe if there was something to, you know, jog my memory.

Come on! Move!

Hey, Trolls, why is that mailbox wearing a tuxedo?

Hi! It's so great to see you again! Call me!

This tunnel will get us out of here. Move!

Did that cloud taste sweet to you? Ow!

Help me! Help! I'm stuck!

Sweet motherboard!

Where am I? Get me out of here.

Hey, Palm Face. Try getting him out the top!

Already on it! Hold tight, Gene.

This feels very odd, and it smells. I mean, it smells good, it smells delicious, but I still don't like it.

Jailbreak: The game obviously thinks you're a candy, even though you're weirdly misshapen, you know?

Gene: What are we gonna do?

Stay very still. Don't worry. We've got your back. Right, Hi-5? Hey, Fingers! You want to focus?

For your information, I happen to have a sugar addiction, and it's a very serious...

Listen, Finger Head! We have to get Gene out of the game without blowing him up.

I don't want to blow up.

We have to match up the candies, so that Gene will drop to the bottom. And we can't match him with any yellows, or else...

Aah! Don't do that. Please don't do that.

Watch. You got it?

Match three in a row. Don't blow Gene up. Got it.

And we have to be very careful.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Careful.

(WHOOPS) Candy!

Watch it!

HI-5: Hey! Whoa!

GENE: No! No, no, no! Slow down. Not the yellows! Not the yellows.

I said careful!

- (HI-5 YELLS)

My mom just joined Facebook.

Can you believe she wanted to friend me?

Hey, Addie, I was just wondering if you are...

- CANDY CRUSH ANNOUNCER: Tasty.

- What?

- CANDY CRUSH ANNOUNCER: Delicious.

- Um... Excuse me?

- CANDY CRUSH ANNOUNCER: Sweet.

- Uh...

- NIKKI: Hey, Addie!

- Oh, hi, Nikki.

- No!

- See you later, Alex.

- CANDY CRUSH ANNOUNCER: Sugar Crush.

- Aah!

So over this.

(SPEED DIALING)

WOMAN: Wireless Wireless.

How may I help you?

I'd like to make an appointment.

It's like this phone is playing games with me.

Whoa! Whoa!

Hey, what does this do?

(SHRIEKS) Whoa!

(GASPS) Oh, no! Get me out of here!

HI-5: Oh, suck it in!

No! Ow! Stop it! Stop, stop! Ow, ow! It's not working.

Well, there's one option left. We line you up with the yellows.

But you said not to do that.

Special candies get transported to that jar. The game might think you're a special candy.

And what if it doesn't think I'm a special candy?

Jailbreak: Well...

GENE: Jailbreak, hello? Hello, Jailbreak?

Jailbreak: Oh. Uh, sorry.

What if it doesn't think I'm a special candy?

Oh, I'm not too worried about it.

Okay, just do it.

HI-5: Gene! Gene?

Hey. Oh. Oh, no!

Gene! You're alive! (KISSES)

You were trying to see if I had somehow turned into candy, weren't you?

Yes, I was. And you have not.

Hey. Looks like something popped up on Alex's calendar.

Eh, I'm sure it's nothing.

NERD EMOJI: Uh, Alex made an appointment at the phone store.

Oh, no! Oh!

SMILER: Calm down, everyone! Calm down. Don't worry. Everything is fine. Maybe Alex just wants to buy some accessories.

Uh, his appointment is with technical support.

Well, I'm sure we still have plenty of time to figure this out. Hmm?

Uh, his appointment is for tomorrow.

Then maybe it's just for some routine maintenance.

Uh, actually, it's to erase the phone.

JAILBREAK: Listen, Gene, I'm about to become your knight in shining armor.

You are?

Oh, yeah. But first, we need to get uploaded to the cloud. That's where we'll find the source code to reprogram you.

The cloud? Isn't that off the phone?

Ding, ding, ding, ding. You got it.

Mmm-hmm. Yeah, the cloud. Off the phone.

We're in Candy Crush, obvs. I know a shortcut to Just Dance, which is right next to Dropbox, where we can get uploaded to the cloud.

Mmm! Of course. Just Dance, then boogie over to Dropbox, catch the link, and zoom.

Hold up. Here's the stinker. Before they let us into the cloud, we have to get past this firewall. The firewall uses face identification.

Yeah, the firewall. Mmm. Mmm-hmm.

Which is really annoying, because I've already tried to get through. Guessed wrong once, and now I'm locked out for life.

HI-5: Locked out for life?

Oh, you're thinking, 'cause I can make different faces, the firewall will think I'm different emojis.

Yeah. I wanted to say it 'cause it was my idea. You know, women are always coming up with stuff that men are taking credit for.

- You know what... (GRUNTS)

Well, then let's hit the road. Hi-5, you coming?

I'm coming! Ugh! Why do I always think I'm gonna come around on black licorice? (GASPS) My precious.

JAILBREAK: Hey! Move it!

HI-5: Certain death, here we come.

MEL: Let's try this one.

MARY: YouTube?

MEL: Wow. What a visual treat. And I don't even need a remote. That guy is so expressive.

MARY: He reminds me of Gene.

Yeah. Something really wrong with him.

Mel.

Our son is a malfunction, and you should never have let him go into that cube.

Don't blame me for this, Mel. I am hopping mad at you. See?

Mary, I think we're being followed. But don't overreact.

Uh-oh.

I told you not to overreact. What are you doing now?

They'll be in there for hours.

Mary, where are you going?

I think we should go our separate ways, Mel. I thought I knew the Meh that I married, but maybe I don't.

But, Mary...

JAILBREAK: This tunnel will help us avoid the Bots.

GENE: Thanks for helping us. It's really nice of you.

NBD, dude. The truth is, you're helping me.

Come on, let's move it. Why so slow?

Hi-5, stop. Why are you getting so close? What's with you? Back off.

Can't stop now. I'm having a sugar rush! I'll go around you. If I stop moving, my heart's gonna explode! Coming through, Jailbreak! Look out!

JAILBREAK: Hey! Watch it, Knuckle Butt!

I can't feel my face. (LAUGHS)

So, Jailbreak, back there you said I'm helping you.

I've been trying to get past that firewall for months.

(GIGGLES) Come on, come on! The faster we get there, the faster I become a favorite! (WHOOPS) Look at me!

I just want to bounce out of here, get off the phone, and live on the cloud.

What just happened?

You don't like it here?

There's so many rules here. What is up with that? The cloud is supposed to be amazing. There's so much to see and do. (GRUNTS)

Uh-oh. Sugar crash. I can't hold on anymore. Catch me, Gene. Catch me!

And you can be whoever you want.

- Thanks.

You're free! Come on!

Oh, my gosh, my hands are sweating.

JAILBREAK: You are a hand!

You know, come to think of it, I don't really remember there ever being a hacker emoji.

Oh, um, you know, you're taking up too much of my brain space. Let's keep the chitchat to a minimum.

Someone likes you.

What are you talking about?

This is just like when Peace Sign gave me just one finger. I knew she was in love with me.

JAILBREAK: Let's go!

I'm never eating another piece of candy ever again.

Hi-5, don't do it. Don't you do it. It's already been in there once. Don't do it. Wow.

- JAILBREAK: Move it!

- Are my fingers getting fat? I'll tell you what, this bandage wasn't so tight before.

Okay. We get through this app, and Dropbox is right on the other side. We just need to keep it super DL in here. And no matter what, we can't turn it on.

OMG, this turned it on! What? I'm a hand. It's a big, red button.

What's happening?

No, no, no, no, no!

Welcome to Just Dance! Follow my moves and you get to move forward. Do the wrong moves and you get an "X." Three strikes and you're out.

Out? What does she mean by "Out"?

Digital death. Oh, thanks to you, Fingers. Now we're gonna have to dance our way out.

Which is all right with me, 'cause I can shake it like Michael. Or Michael's glove, anyway.

Are you ready to dance?

This is bad, Gene. I can't dance. I got no groove. Come on. Everybody can dance.

Not me, okay? I'm really stiff. See? I can't... (SIGHS) Don't understand.

GENE: No.

HI-5: Okay. No, no...

Hey, no, stop, stop.

Stop, stop. She has to stop.

I see now what you are saying. Just follow her moves.

Ready to dance in three...

This I can't do.

- Two...

Dude...

Oh, just shut up and...

Dance!

♪ You put the boom-boom into my heart ♪

♪ You send my soul sky high

when your lovin' starts ♪

♪ Jitterbug into my brain

Yeah, yeah ♪

♪ Goes a bang, bang, bang

till my feet do the same ♪

♪ But something's bugging you... ♪

It's too easy! Hee-hee! Shamone! (LAUGHS)

♪ Left me sleepin' in my bed ♪

♪ I was dreaming,

but I should have been with you instead ♪

♪ Wake me up before you go-go ♪

Jailbreak! I got you. Look. Just feel the music. Express yourself.

Through dance?

♪ 'Cause I'm not planning on going solo ♪

Yeah, you got it! Go, girl! Now throw some sauce on that dance burrito. (WHOOPS)

(CHUCKLES) I'm doing it! I'm fully nailing this dance!

- GENE: You got it!

(JAILBREAK LAUGHS)

♪ Hee-hee! ♪

♪ You make the sun shine brighter... ♪

Great job! You're moving on to free dance! Impress us with your moves to move forward.

More dancing?

♪ I just want to feel this moment ♪

You're killing it, Gene! Slay!

Nice! Shake it, Gene. You won't break it.

Wait a minute! I've never seen that dance before. What's it called?

Um... The Emoji Pop?

I love it!

What? You do?

♪ I just want to feel this moment ♪

Everybody, do the Emoji Pop!

♪ I just want to feel this moment ♪

♪ Feel this moment ♪

♪ Whoa, oh, oh, oh ♪

(LAUGHS)

Whoo-hoo!

Yes!

Princess.

Whoa. You're the Princess emoji? You never got off the phone.

Welcome, new players!

- What?

- Who?

Oh, no!

- We got to go.

- Don't worry. They're robots. They can't dance.

BOT: Downloading funk protocol.

- "Can't dance," he says.

Move!

AKIKO: (OVER PHONE) Congratulations.

You're a disco diva.

GIRL: Hey, Alex, you gonna dance for us?

TEACHER: Alex, that's extra homework for you.

Hey, Alex, you gonna shake it?

Oh, no! No, no, no, no, no, no!

Alex must be deleting the app.

- Watch out!

- Oh, no!

- We got to get out of here.

Come on!

(WHOOPS) This song is my jam.

Hi-5, come on! Let's go!

Hurry!

- Hi-5!

- Gene!

I got you!

Gene... (SCREAMING)

GENE: Hi-5!

Gene.

Hey, wait. Where's Hi-5?

Alex trashed the app. And Hi-5 right along with it.

Wait, what? Wait, trashed? Hi-5 is in the trash?

He wanted to dance. But I knew it was a bad idea. I'm so sorry.

We got to get him out of there.

Gene, Dropbox is right here. That's our ticket to the cloud. And the trash is on the other side of the phone. We don't know how many other Bots are out there. I'm sorry.

- No way. We can't go without Hi-5. I don't care how far away it is.

Gene.

That's my friend down there. I'm not just gonna leave him to get deleted. What? What is it?

I've always just thought you got to look out for number one.

Well, what good is it to be number one if there aren't any other numbers?

Wow. Okay.

I'm sorry. This is my malfunction. I just... I can't be meh about anything. This is why I'm going to get reprogrammed.

Well, it's actually kind of cool.

Wait, really?

You know, I think I know a shortcut. We can take the music streams in Spotify. Let's go give that big hand a hand.

Come on.

Alex trashed the Just Dance app, and our Bots are offline, and it's giving me a real headache.

I am so angry. I really need to stay happy. Can we please lighten the mood?

No one can resist una fiesta! ♪ Olé! ♪

Not that happy. We've only got four hours before Alex's phone appointment. If they find a malfunction on the phone, we are all gonna be wiped.

(LAUGHING) She said, "Wiped. "

Aim higher, Steven.

I didn't want to have to do this, but it is fun to press buttons.

The illegal upgrade.

Now that makes me happy.

I just want to dance. Dance, please.

Arr! Quiet, you sassy gypsy.

Oh. Where am I?

- Hi! It's so great to see you again!

- (GASPS)

You're in the trash,

Fingers for Brains.

- Get away from me, Troll.

- Hi!

It's so great to see you again!

- I got to get out of here.

- You can't.

And at the end of the day, the trash gets emptied, and we're all gonna die!

Oh, no. No, no!

This is the last face you will ever see.

(ECHOING) No!

♪ 'Cause, oh,

I think that I found myself a cheerleader ♪

♪ She is always right there... ♪

(OPERATIC SINGING)

♪ Watch me nae nae

Okay ♪

- Whoa, this is Spotify?

- Yep.

Every one of those streams is a different song.

Is it safe?

♪ That's why you got to ♪

♪ Never let 'em see you down

See you down ♪

(LAUGHS)

- Yeah!

- Yeah!

- Are you sure this is a good idea?

Fastest way to the trash, dude!

Could we at least pick a calmer stream?

Okay, buzzkill.

Alex. A bunch of people are hitting the promenade.

- I think Addie might be there, too.

- That's perfect!

I have an appointment down there, anyway.

I've got to get this phone fixed.

♪ Bubble, bubble, bubble butt ♪

- Hey, bubble butt.

- Yeah, you do.

Ah, much better. So, I got to ask. Is it true that when a princess whistles, birds fly down from the skies, and...

Hello, stereotype. That is a complete and total myth. I'm sorry. Did you realize that on the first emoji set, a woman can either be a princess or a bride? That's why I need to get to the cloud, where you can be whoever you want to be. (GASPS) Get ready. Whale song coming.

- Wait, wait. Whale what?

A whale song. From Alex's biology presentation.

Oh, wow! Oh!

JAILBREAK: You're not gonna see that sitting around in a cube.

It's funny. You want out of the cube, and I want in.

Gene, if that means you can't be yourself, what's the point?

You know, I think you're pretty cool just the way you are.

(STUTTERS) We're gonna need this.

(SINGING) ♪ Nobody knows

the touchscreens I've seen ♪

♪ Nobody knows my screenshots ♪

In the trash? Me?

I used to be somebody.

(GASPS) Here I am. Look.

In an old e-mail Alex never sent.

"Addie, blah, blah, blah, blah,

bla-la-la-la. "

(GASPS)

And then there's me, Hi-5, right there, doing myjob.

FYl, nobody cares about you.

Just leave me, Troll, and let me die in this dump alone.

Let me look for the world's smallest violin in here, so you can play it. (LAUGHS)

(GASPS) It's the Hand Angel of Mercy.

She's finally come for me.

GENE: Give me your hand! I mean, give me yourself.

Take my hand, angel. I'm ready to take my place amongst the other great hands of the past.

It's me, Gene!

Gene?

The one and only.

Gene!

I got him!

Take me with you.

Hi-5!

(GRUNTS) Let go of me.

Don't leave me down here!

You were wrong, Troll. People do care about me. And I'm not upset, Troll. Do you see how not upset I am?

(SOBS) Gene, you came back for me. You saved me.

It wasn't just me. Jailbreak helped, too. And she's a hugger. Give her a squeeze.

Oh, no, no, no.

There really is nothing greater than the feeling of being truly free. You filthy trolls, I inhaled your stench, but I was once one of you, so I, too, feel your pain. Now go. Be free!

Should be smooth sailing from here.

MARY: Gene. Gene. Gene? Are you Instagramming? Where is my Gene? Ah, Mary. You've really done it this time.

MEL: No, you haven't.

Mary: Mel? What are you doing in Alex's trip to France album?

MEL: I was looking for you. None of this is your fault, Mary. It's mine.

Mary: What do you mean? Is that a tear on your cheek?

It's my fault Gene is the way he is. I have other expressions, too. I think they've just been buried away. But with Gene going missing and thinking I might have lost you, too...

Oh, Mel. Why didn't you tell me?

I didn't know myself.

Right now, I'm so overwhelmed with passionate feelings for you.

Mary, my love for you burns with the intensity of a red-hot flame.

Oh, I like that, Mel.

Let's go find our son.

Together.

We'll always have Paris, Mary.

HI-5: So, you're a princess. I saw your little tiara. Very fancy. Is it true when a princess whistles, birds fly down from...

- Oh! That's what I said!

No, guys! That's a stupid myth! What software version are we living in? Go read an e-book.

- Uh, Jailbreak...

- Educate yourselves.

- Just look behind you.

- What the...

GENE: What is that?

JAILBREAK: Smiler must have upgraded her Bots.

HI-5: Let's get out of here before it...

Hi, Gene. Remember me? Smiler. I'm coming to you live from the amphitheater. Why don't you come back to Textopolis and we can talk through our differences, okay? My friend here will escort you, all right? I'm gonna see you soon, buddy. Bye, now. We're actually gonna delete him in front of everyone.

Psst! It's still on!

It's still what? Oh, Jiminy Sassafras!

- Move!

- Separate!

Tangle him up!

- Jailbreak! Whoa!

- Gene! This way!

- It's still after me!

- Over here!

Let's go.

We have to make it to Dropbox.

ALL: Yes!

GENE AND HI-5: No!

JAILBREAK: Go low!

- GENE: Whoa.

JAILBREAK: Don't worry. It can't get in. It's illegal malware, and this app is secure. Come on.

ANNOUNCER: (OVER SPEAKER) Welcome to Dropbox. You are about to leave the phone. Remain seated, please. (ANNOUNCER SPEAKS SPANISH)

You might want to hang on.

Why do they call this Dropbox, anyway?

Oh, this is why! I see that now!

JAILBREAK: Yeah!

HI-5: Whoa!

I think we're about to see that candy corn again!

- We made it.

- Whoo-hoo!

Guys, guys, chill. We still have to get past that.

GENE AND HI-5: Holy...

JAILBREAK: Yeah.

- FIREWALL: Hello. Welcome to the firewall. How may I help you?

All right, here goes.

What do I do?

Sit in the corner and don't say a word. Keep those sausage fingers to yourself.

Yes, Your Majesty Princess of Nightmares!

Now, Gene, step onto the password icon, and I'll feed you the passwords.

(INHALES) Okay.

Okay. 10-11-2002.

10-11-2002.

Access denied.

Okay, try a different expression.

Is it gonna blast me every time I mess up?

- Yeah, kinda.

- (COUGHS)

What do you mean, "Kinda"?

Ready?

Welcome to the firewall.

His favorite food. Chimichangas.

Chimichangas?

FIREWALL: Access denied.

This might take a while.

Oh, boy.

♪ Fireball... ♪

Krav Maga.

- Krav Maga.

- Major Lazer.

- Major Lazer.

Abuela Dora! (SCREAMS)

Skate or die. (SCREAMS)

I don't get it. We've tried all the important things in Alex's life. His favorite pet, sport, his favorite grandma. I'm sorry, Gene. I let us all down.

You know, if I had to come up with a password, I'd probably use the name of a girl I liked.

I've been all over the phone. He's never mentioned a girl.

HI-5: Yes, he has. Hi. When I was in the trash, I read a very interesting e-mail, but I'm just the dunce in the corner, forbidden to speak.

- What e-mail?

- Sorry, what?

BOTH: What e-mail?

Uh, to a girl at school. He was declaring his feelings of love for her. I guess instead of sending it, he tossed it in the trash.

Hi-5, this is very important. What is her name?

Her name, yes. Excellent question. It was Tina. Karen. Marge. Lindsey. (STAMMERS) Alison. Sarah or Lupita. I want to say Lupita, but that doesn't feel right now I'm saying it out loud. Jennifer.

JAILBREAK: Got to find that e-mail.

HI-5: Phillipa. Sue. Deborah.

- JAILBREAK: I think I can access the trash.

HI-5: Annabelle.

- I got it! Addie!

HI-5: Yes! Yes! That's it! Addie! I knew I'd get there.

"Dear Addie, you and I, we're like diamonds in the sky. You're a shooting star I see, a vision of ecstasy. Shine bright like a diamond. "

And he used a high five, see?

I guess now we know why he trashed it.

Ooh. Shade.

Guys, should we try this?

(ELECTRONIC CHIME)

Addie.

Access granted. (ECHOING)

Oh, snap.

This place is amazing.

JAILBREAK: The cloud. I can't believe it.

HI-5: Whoa.

One little emoji could sure get lost in a place like this.

I guess we should make you a Meh before that Bot comes back, huh?

Oh. Oh, so, we're gonna... We're gonna do that now?

We had a deal. Right?

Yeah, okay. Right.

I, uh, guess I'll start hacking.

HI-5: (LAUGHS) We did it, Gene. All our dreams are coming true. I'll be an Alex favorite again, and you'll be a real Meh. Oh, yeah!

(SINGING) ♪ Do the hand dance

Do the hand dance ♪

♪ And pinky

Pop it with the pinky ♪

♪ Pop it with the pinky ♪

Yeah, but this all seems kind of super-fast now, though. Doesn't it? Hi-5, I just didn't expect to be having these feelings right now. Well, maybe you should go and express them while you still can.

So, uh, I've been... I mean, um... Ever since we... Jailbreak, you're the coolest, most interesting emoji I've ever met. And after all the adventures that we had, I'm just not sure I want all that to go away, because my feelings right now are, like, huge. I just think that they could be enough for me to want to stay the way I am. If it means I could stay here with you. Like, forever. Forever and ever and ever. Maybe longer than that even. Like in the fairy tales.

Uh...

(STAMMERS) Like, what is "uh"? Is that a good "uh"?

Gene, if this is about you deciding not to be meh, then I am all about that. I like you just the way you are. But I had a plan.

Right. (SIGHS)

I'm not just some princess, Gene, waiting for my prince. I mean, what you said was beautiful, but... Gene.

HI-5: (LAUGHS) Whoa. You're all meh. The source code worked!

Turns out I didn't need it. For the first time in my life, meh is all I feel.

(SHRIEKS)

No! Gene!

Hi. I have an appointment.

I'm a little early.

No problem.

I can take you right now.

- Jailbreak!

- (SCREAMS) Don't do that!

That freaky huge Bot has got Gene back inside the phone.

What?

He left looking more meh than the meh-est meh face I've ever seen. What did you say to him?

It's what I didn't say. We've got to go get him.

How are we gonna get in there in time before he gets deleted?

(GROANS) I can't believe I'm doing this. You tell anyone you saw this, and I'll crack more than those knuckles.

Birds do love princesses! It's not a myth. It's not a myth at all!

What happened to becoming a favorite?

Guess I'd rather have one real friend. And let's go get him. I can't wait to see the look on Gene's face!

SMILER: Look at that expression. Is that for realizing you've put all of Textopolis at risk, causing Alex to question our reliability?

Hey, that's going too far, even for me.

If we can delete this malfunction before his appointment, they'll discover there's nothing wrong with the phone. Any last words?

Meh.

Well, it's too late for that. Delete him!

- MEL: Wait. You delete Gene, you'll have to delete me, too.

- What?

- I have the same malfunction Gene does.

(EMOJIS GASP)

(GASPS) Dad?

Oh, gosh, I don't know what to do.Yes, I do. Bot!

- No!

- Ah.

Sorry, Mrs. Meh.

(SOFT GRUNTING AND SIGHS)

Whoa. (GRUNTS)

(POWERING UP)

Oh, I did not see that one coming.

Smiler, I think you might be making too much stink out of all this.

Oh, really? How about you're next?

I was wrong, Gene. I should've believed in you all along.

Aw, what a touching daddy-son reunion moment. It reminds me of the time I deleted you both. Oh, wait. That's this time! Delete the two malfunctions!

BOTH: No.

How's that for an...

Oh, great.

I can't reach!

Oh, no! What did you do to my beautiful... (GROANS) Oh, my tooth.

Hand, button.

Jailbreak?

Oh, Gene. You really are a Meh.

What happened to looking out for number one?

Being number one doesn't matter if there aren't any other numbers.

PIZZA: Alex's appointment!

He's deleting the phone!

No, no, no!

Show me Alex.

EMPLOYEE: Are you sure you want to delete everything?

Do it.

- Red alert! Red alert!

Alex, no!

CANDY CRUSH ANNOUNCER: Game over.

Fellas, I'm afraid this is last call.

Dude, Addie's here.

You should go over.

Every time I try, I screw it up.

I don't know how to tell her how I feel.

If we help Alex connect to Addie, maybe he won't delete us.

I might be able to bypass the wipe and get a text through to him. But we'll only have time to send one.

Maybe I should go. He has love in his eyes.

Send me. Alex looks nervous, too.

He's more shy than nervous.

Stop! It's Gene. He's all of those things.

SMILER: An emoji should only be one thing.

Jailbreak: Oh, really? [takes off her hat]

The Princess!

FEMALE EMOTICON: Linda!

Not now, Mom! Gene, you got this.

That's not me anymore. But I have to try.

It's starting!

No, it's ending!

- Almost in?

- I'm working on it.

Mom? Dad? No.

I'm in.

Last time I was in this cube, I screwed everything up.

Gene, why do you think I came back? It's because of you.

Me?

It's all inside of you, Gene. Just try to bring it back. And do you. Hi-5!

I don't want to wave good-bye.

It's now or never, Gene.

Jailbreak, now!

Whoa! Check out this emoji.

(GIGGLES) No way.

Addie: Hey, I got your text. That's one super-cool emoji.

I know, right?

Addie: A lot of feelings in one. I get it. I like that you're one of those guys who can actually express his feelings.

Yeah. (NERVOUS CHUCKLE) That's me.

So, do you think you'd want to...

Yes. I'd love to go to the dance with you.

Hey, excuse me.

We made it! Oh, I could've lost you, Peter Pinkie. Or you, Reggie Ring Finger. Even you, Tiberius Thumb.

Change your mind?

Yeah, maybe it's weird, but... I'm gonna hold on to it.

Gene, you did it! You saved us all!

EMOJIS: Aw.

Oh, Mel.

Gene! Gene!

ALL: (CHANTING) Gene! Gene! Gene!

HI-5: They love us! And Hi-5! And Hi-5! And Hi-5! And Hi-5! They love both of us!

(UPBEAT DANCE MUSIC PLAYING)

♪ I just want to feel this moment ♪

♪ Whoa, whoa, oh, oh ♪

♪ I just want to feel... ♪

Hey, what up, Gene? Slap me some skin.

And a little porridge for the pinkie.

FLAMENCA: Hey, Hi-5, save me a dance for later. As long as you're not all hands again.

Back on top of the hand pile.

You're not on the list.

Wait, what?

What's going on?

(LAUGHS) From now on, everyone is welcome!

Wait, what is all this?

It's for you, Gene.

Everybody, the Emoji Pop!

♪ Whoa, oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ I just want to feel this moment ♪

♪ Whoa, oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ I just want to feel... ♪

This is jazzy.

(LAUGHING)

♪ Olé! ♪

(LAUGHING)

(LAUGHS) Yeah.

Go, Eggplant! Go, Eggplant! Go, Eggplant!

♪ Feel this moment ♪

♪ Whoa, oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ I just want to feel this moment ♪

♪ Whoa, oh, oh, oh ♪

- (CHUCKLING)

- (CAMERA CLICKS)

We are out of Alex's pocket, emojis. This is not a butt dial. To your cubes.

♪ But until the gates are open ♪

♪ I just want to feel this moment ♪

- Are we up and running?

REGGIE: Roger that.

Good, 'cause we got incoming. Looks like it's gonna be Gene. Hey, Gene, ready to try out your new cube? In three, two...

Go, Fish.