How I would rewrite WIR:WBTI (Codename: Leveled Up to the Clouds)
I’ve said it countless times by now. I love Wreck it Ralph not just because it’s a massive loveletter gaming culture and collab between the gaming industry and Disney, but also one of the best CGI movies they have made with a twist villain and possibly one of their best films of all time.
Then the sequel came out and proceeded to turn one of the best movies of all time into what essentially feels like Disney’s attempt at the Emoji Movie and also ruin parts of both Ralph and Venelope’s personalities in the process.
Don’t get me wrong, the idea of the internet could have made for an interesting plot. Especially involving that of video games which could be a logical transition to instead focus more on the whole online aspect of video games instead of well… just the internet and a whole bunch of Corpo sponsors that have nothing to do with video games.
This is, how Reshi would rewrite Wreck it Ralph: Ralph Breaks the Internet
First off, title change since for this concept the internet itself is not just the central focus. Yes I’m going to be boring and just call it Wreck it Ralph 2: Leveled up to the Clouds for now.
Our film begins with a recap of the first as a voiceover from Ralph explains what has changed: He’s become a lot more respected in the arcade, Felix and Calhoun are still the same, and him and Vanellope are best buds, often going on misadventures together after hours now that she’s no longer bound to Sugar Rush.
Things are all fine and dandy until an announcement is made that Litwick’s is getting some “upgrades” in the form of some new fancy games with “online connectivity” as well as access to the internet.
People are excited and ready to greet the newcomers about to get plugged in, resulting in a welcoming partying being held in Game Central.
Everything goes well at first until something unexpected comes through the wire
We will call this entity Malware.
It proceeds to attack the celebration, nearly taking out Vanellope before Ralph and Calhoun dispatch it. The reasonably traumatized girl is then taken to safety as others return to their games.
As a result of the incident, Surge restricts access to games with online components and the internet as a whole.
Calhoun starts hosting some mandatory training drills so that the arcade denizens are more aware. Ralph, while reluctant to attend does make a point while Vanellope doesn’t see a point despite what almost happened to her, feeling as she’s too weak to do anything.
This does lead to a bit of a falling out between Ralph and Vanellope, which eventually leads to her running off in order to investigate the now gated off worlds.
Ralph on the other hand is quick to realize his mistake and is comforted by Felix as we get some reflexions back on the first movie. With plans to apologize after closing time the next day.
We cut back to Game Central, as we follow Vanellope sneaking around before making her way into one of the “restricted” ports. There, she’s scared by a character we will simply call “The Vagrant”, a currently unnamed character that managed to escape their own game when it was unplugged years ago and has been living in the shadows of Game Central.
They recognize her as the girl that was nearly killed by the Malware before giving her a cryptic warning about how these creatures operate and where they come from before vanishing into the shadows, leaving the creeped out Vanellope off on her way.
Back to Ralph. He and the others make plans to visit Sugar Rush so he can apologize only to learn that Vanellope ran off (Thankfully she wasn’t on the board for that day).
Obviously panicked, Ralph runs off. Clearly terrified of the possibility that Sugar Rush might get shut down just like what had nearly happened to Fix it Felix Jr because of his own actions.
Ralph learns that she ran off to one of the restricted games and begs Surge to let him go after her. He is declined.
Eventually a plan is made by Ralph, Calhoun, and Felix that all three of them were going to go after her as the Arcade was going to be closed for a few days with Litwick being away. The three sneak into the game where she was last seen, Slaughter Race.
We cut back to Vanellope who’s exploring this new dangerous world. There she meets Shank who saves her from a group that sees her as an easy target. At first, Shank is confused on why she’s here and volunteers to take Vanellope back but stops when she realizes Vanellope wants to know more.
Cut to the two bonding and eventually Vanellope wanting to know more about the “online functions”. Shank reluctantly agrees but the two are ambushed by The Vagrant, who’s not happy about Vanellope being here as it would get him caught.
The three get into a squabble before they are interrupted by a piece of Malware that forces them to flee using the Online Functions, transporting them to the Internet.
After the two escape, we cut to the Malware entity returning to its “nest” through a backdoor where we get a glimpse of the big bad. The Malware informs its master that it’s found a “New connection” that they could spread to.
Vanellope and The Vagrent are in awe. The latter finally glad to know that they were right. Their plan being to escape to the internet as a means of finding a purpose.
Yet due to the Malware, Vanellope and Shank find themselves unable to return home, stopping the Vagrent before they can get away. Reluctantly they team up, traveling through various other games along the way. At the same time, Ralph and crew are hot on their trail.
Maybe at some point somebody gets infected.
We get some more story stuff, characters reminiscing, some minor encounters with the big bad’s minions, etc until the groups reunite. Ralph and Vanellope get a heartfelt reunion and the Vagrent’s identity is revealed to be an old friend of Ralph and Felix from a game that got unplugged.
The group eventually finds a way back home yet are eventually confronted by the Big Bad, who makes their intention known. The group is taken to their nest but escape.
Some more time passes and eventually they get back. The Vagrant eventually sacrifices themsleves to help hold off the infection from breaching Game Central and several characters from other online games join forces with the main heroes to fight off the Big Bad, leading to the climactic final fight. This time with Vanellope being the one to do them in, making it seem like she dies in the process.
Ralph, heartbroken at the loss of his friend is seen grieving while the others try to comfort him. Until a snarky voice calls him a big baby does he realize that she’s alive.
Eventually the ban is lifted and things go back to normal as online and offline games mingle.
In the end, Vanellope is given the choice if she wants to go to Slaughter Race but decides against it, knowing that she’s needed in Sugar Rush but she does vow to spend time with Shank when they have time off, ending with the two racing through Sugar Rush in their respective cars.
Also Owl City does the ending theme (inspired by this song)
