More than two decades after Small Soldiers left audiences with a big question mark, one of its writers has finally weighed in on where those battle-scarred toys ended up.
The 1998 sci-fi comedy, directed by Gremlins filmmaker Joe Dante, tells the story of two rival groups of sentient action figures that are accidentally weaponised and cause chaos in a suburban neighbourhood.
The movie wrapped with the alien Gorgonites sailing off to find their home planet, Gorgon… despite the small detail that the planet never actually existed.
Now, co-writer Adam Rifkin has offered a long-awaited answer.
Fate of the Gorgonites confirmed
When a fan recently asked on Twitter whether the Gorgonites ever reached their destination, Rifkin gave an enthusiastic yes.
According to him, their journey ended in Yellowstone National Park, which they mistook for Gorgon after spotting it in a brochure.
“Spiritually, they made it home,” Rifkin confirmed, suggesting that the Gorgonites’ quest wasn’t really about a planet, but about hope and freedom.
He co-wrote the screenplay alongside Gavin Scott, Ted Elliott, and Terry Rossio.
Plot and cast of Small Soldiers
In Small Soldiers, Denis Leary plays a toy company CEO who demands smarter, more aggressive toys from his designers.
The result is the Commando Elite—trigger-happy soldier dolls led by Major Chip Hazard (voiced by Tommy Lee Jones)—pitted against the peace-seeking Gorgonites, headed by Archer (voiced by Frank Langella).
Gregory Smith stars as teen Alan Abernathy, who discovers the toys are anything but ordinary. As the Commando Elite wage war in the suburbs, Alan teams up with his neighbour Christy (Kirsten Dunst) to protect the Gorgonites.
The cast also includes the late Phil Hartman, in what would be his final screen role.
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