Cast: Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Thomas Haden Church, Elle Fanning, Colin Ford Genre: Family Drama / Comedy / Romance

The Logline

Fifteen years after saving Rosemoor Park, Benjamin Mee faces a corporate threat that could destroy everything he built, forcing him to reunite with his veterinarian son and rely on “20 seconds of insane courage” one last time to pull off a massive land expansion that will save the zoo—or bankrupt the family forever.

The Extended Synopsis

The Sanctuary Sometimes, you need 20 seconds of insane courage more than once in a lifetime. Fifteen years after the grand opening, the Rosemoor Wildlife Park isn’t just a zoo; it’s a home. Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon) and Kelly Foster (Scarlett Johansson) are happily running the thriving sanctuary, their “will-they-won’t-they” tension having evolved into a steady, grounded partnership. They have gray hairs and laugh lines, but the spark is still there.

The Threat But peace is disrupted when “Apex Resorts,” a massive corporate developer, announces plans to build a mega-hotel on the bordering land. The construction threatens to cut off the zoo’s natural water source and block crucial migration paths for the local wildlife. Benjamin tries to fight it the old-fashioned way—with heart and handshakes—but the corporate suits don’t care about tigers; they care about profit.

The Prodigal Son The stakes become personal with the return of Dylan (Colin Ford). No longer the moody artist, he is now a fully qualified, high-tech veterinarian. He returns home with Lily (Elle Fanning), his fiancée and the zoo’s new head of conservation. While Lily tries to bridge the gap, old tensions flare. Dylan pushes for modernization—livestream cameras, corporate sponsorships, and high-tech enclosures—to survive the financial pressure. Benjamin resists, fearing the zoo will lose its soul. It’s a clash between the “heart” of the past and the “science” of the future.

The Wild Horizons With the sarcastic but loyal support of brother Duncan (Thomas Haden Church)—who still thinks this entire venture is madness—the family decides to stop playing defense. They embark on the “Great Expansion.” They plan to buy the threatened mountain themselves to create a massive, cage-free reserve called “Wild Horizons.” It is a financial suicide mission. To pull it off, they need to raise millions in a month.

The Climax The film culminates in a community-driven effort to save the land, featuring a chaotic fundraising gala where the animals inevitably get loose. In a quiet moment amidst the chaos, Benjamin looks at his son and realizes that preserving the legacy doesn’t mean keeping things the same; it means trusting the next generation to carry it forward.

Why This Pitch Works

• The Comfort Factor: This is the ultimate “Sunday Afternoon Movie.” It offers low-stakes anxiety with high-stakes emotion.
• The Cast Chemistry: Watching Matt Damon and Thomas Haden Church banter is effortless entertainment. Adding the adult versions of Dylan and Lily (played by the original actors) provides a satisfying payoff for fans of the first film.
• The Theme: It tackles conservation and over-development, making the story feel modern and urgent while keeping the small-town charm.

Tagline

The only thing wilder than buying a zoo… is keeping it.