Partners in Crime (film)

On The Way: Partners in Crime is a 2023 American 3D computer-animated action comedy film, produced by Reel FX Animation Studios and Lucasfilm Ltd. and distributed by Columbia Pictures. It is On The Way 's first animated film in the series, and follows the Boys being recruited by an undercover agency called The Force, to stop en evil mastermind who they have tried to arrest for years.

The film is directed by Chris Sanders, who had previously collaborated with Xavier Mosley on The Tale of Sackvile. Kirk DeMicco is the film's screenwriter. Xavier Mosley, Sean Giambrone, and Tucker Albrizzi reprise their roles as the Boys, while the film features new characters voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch, Kevin Hart, Anna Kendrick, Michael Peña, and James Franco. The film will released on May 6, 2023.

Plot
Agent Tomson, a secret agent of the Force, has been sent on a mission to thwart arch-nemesis and billionaire Calvin Harrison. Unfortunately, his mission has failed by having been seen, which causes him to flee the building and fake his death in the process. As Harrison looks on the ground, he hopes no one else will stop his plan. Tomson returns to of Force Base and insists to bring in three new recruits.

In Corpus, Lawrence introduces his latest creation to Jake and Gillan, called the Universe-a-Tron. Later, they are at the Flower Bluff High School, cleaning the floor and the trophy cases. A new temporary teacher, named Ingrid Hilda, brings the Boys to the detention room, transporting them, and herself, to the Force's secret underground headquarters via secret entrance. There, they meet Tomson, alongside his rookie team members: weapons specialist Gerald Rick, who goes by the nickname Riot Ricky; weapon designer June Holoway, who both Jake and Gillan fall in love with instantly; and intelligent superhacker Eduardo Pétro. They inform them about their mission to stop Harrison, which both the duo accept, although Lawrence declines until Jake persuades him in joining as they had previously stopped the mayor from being re-elected and arresting two wanted criminals. He reluctantly agrees on joining on one condition.

Their first mission is in Rio de Janeiro, where they must find on of his accomplices. Jake and Gillan get distracted by the sights and stop to order drinks, where the agents find one of the accomplices in disguise. They chase him down from the beach to the city, and fortunately catch him by Lawrence setting a trap in the streets. Their suspect explains his plot on taking over the world by activating "impossible-to-find" transmission towers set around the world, not even can be detected on radar. Distraught, their only option is to disable the towers by the source: The Harrison Inc. building. Pressed for time, Jake thinks they should go there, though unfortunately, the Force has no information on its presence, much to his dismay. The suspect then instructs them to go to London, England where his comrades are where they have further information about his plot.

There, the teams split up to look for one of the cronies, whereas Gillan bumps into a man wearing a trench coat and sunglasses, revealing one of the henchmen in disguise. The teams pursue him, but he gets away in a helicopter, piloted by his team members. Jake resumes the chase by putting on his rollerblades and disarms the pilot by using one of Ricky's guns, tasering said pilot. As the unconscious pilot is stunned, the man in pursuit jumps out of the chopper and heads into the alleyway, only to be caught in a dead end, followed by being taken in the custody by the Force.

Back at the headquarters, Tomson interrogates the man, who explains that he is working for him to help his family. Lawrence comes in as he had overheard the interrogation, and explains to him that Harrison is planning to rule the world, much to his disbelief. Jake then comes in with a ray that hypnotizes the witness in believing him and take in a job with the Force in the process. Amazed and irked by their presence Tomson is told that Jake and Gillan swiped a clearance card from one of the agents and Lawrence was the one who created the hypnotism ray. Tomson then feels guilty for doubting them. Using the ray, they are told that Harrison is creating and placing the towers around the world to get everyone to do his bidding via mind-control. He also explains that his secret base is at a remote spot in Hawaii.

On their way there, the team members tell them about their origins about how they had become agents, all except Tomson, who says his is classified. Arriving, they hatch a plan on infiltrating the building with Pétro disabling the security systems, and with Rick and Holoway led by Tomson to confront Harrison.

Cast

 * Sean Giambrone as Lawrence, inventor and scientist of the Boys
 * Xavier Mosley as Jake, the somewhat founder of the Boys.
 * Tucker Albrizzi as Gillan, member of the Boys and Jake's best friend.
 * Benedict Cumberbatch as Agent Tomson, team leader of the Force.
 * Kevin Hart as Agent Rick a.k.a. Riot Ricky, the Force's member and weapons specialist.
 * Anna Kendrick as Agent Holloway, the Force's member, weapon designer, and Jake and Gillan's love interest.
 * Michael Peña as Agent Pétro, the Force's member, and superhacker.
 * James Franco as Calvin Harrison, an evil mastermind and archenemy of the Force.
 * Steve Martin as Dale LaDoah, head director of the Force.
 * Will Arnett as Kirk Richardson, an agent of the Force who later turns on them until the end.
 * Jey Livings as Florence Sara Richard, Lawrence's girlfriend.
 * Ariel Winter as Sherrie MacLayne, Jake's rival.
 * Stephen Tobolowsky as Chalmer Phil, principal of Flower Bluff High.
 * Ty Burrell as Todd MacLayne, Sherrie's father.
 * Grey Griffin as Unice MacLayne, reporter of Channel 9 News and is wife of Todd and mother of Sherrie.

Cancelled sequel
On The Way: Partners in Crime II is the final film in the Reel FX film series, and is a sequel to Partners in Crime. The film focuses on the Force recruiting the Boys again to stop a mad scientist from destroying their country.