Coded (film)

Coded is a 2021 American traditional/CGI hybrid animated adventure film produced and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

It follows the story of Jiminy Cricket, King Mickey, Donald Duck, and Goofy in Disney Castle as they monitor the progress of a Data-Sora in a digital world.

Plot
While organizing the records in Jiminy's Journal from his travels with Sora and his friends, Jiminy's curiosity about the line "Thank Naminé" results in him finding a message that he did not write: "Their hurting will be mended when you return to end it." To investigate this message, King Mickey digitizes the contents of the journal and sends a virtual Data-Sora on the virtual Destiny Islands to carry out the contents of the journal to uncover the identity of those who are "hurting".

As Data-Sora awakens on Destiny Islands, he encounters numerous "bugs", which take the form of red and black blocks, covering the whole world. Upon eliminating the Heartless and destroying the bugs, Data-Sora traverses to other worlds infected with bugs to return them to normal, following the cloaked figure upon orders from King Mickey.

Meanwhile, Heartless begin appearing within Disney Castle, and everyone finds themselves trapped in the room. To their surprise, they are saved by Data-Sora. Suddenly, the cloaked figure reveals himself to be Jiminy's Journal taking the form of Riku, and explains that they are no longer in the real world, but the Data World. Suddenly, they discovered that someone cut the link to the real world and the only way to repair it is to destroy the bugs. Sora is sent off by the Journal to discover the one responsible, and encounters Maleficent and Pete from the real world. Maleficent destroys Data-Sora's Keyblade and summons Heartless to attack him. Mickey and the Journal arrive to save Data-Sora, but the Journal is abducted by Maleficent, with Mickey giving chase. Data-Sora makes his way through Hollow Bastion, aided by Donald and Goofy. They encounter Pete, who summons the Journal and takes control of him with the bugs to fight them, but Data-Sora regains the Keyblade and managed to defeat the Journal, who falls unconscious.

Mickey arrives and informs Data-Sora that unless the bugs are destroyed, the Journal will never awaken. Data-Sora decides to find a way to awaken the Journal, and enters Data-Riku's Data World, losing his abilities in the process. The two visit various worlds from the Data-Riku's memory and find their way back to Hollow Bastion, where they fight and defeat Maleficent. Meanwhile, King Mickey discovers that he will be returning soon to the real world, but the Journal, once completed, will have to be erased, which will mean the end of Data-Sora's memories. When the time comes, Sora requests more time in order to save Pete and Maleficent, who are still in the Data World. Data-Sora finds them fighting Sora's Heartless, but Pete and Maleficent are seemingly erased before he can intervene. Data-Sora defeats Sora's Heartless, and finds that Pete and Maleficent were rescued by the Journal through a "rift in the data".

Following their defeat, Maleficent and Pete decide to pursue the ancient Book of Prophecies, which they believe to be connected to Jiminy's Journal and the Datascape. They leave the Data World shortly before Mickey returns to the real world, erasing the Journal. A new message appears claiming that a new door to a new world has been opened, which is the data of the Data World added into the Journal. Mickey, realizing that this quest may be too dangerous for Data-Sora as he has no memory of it, requests to be taken into the Data World once again. Finding Data-Sora in Traverse Town, Mickey takes him to Castle Oblivion where Data-Sora is confronted by a young man wearing a black coat. He tells Data-Sora that if he wants to know the truth, he must move forward on his own through the previous worlds he visited destroying bugs. During this time, he realizes that even if he doesn't remember someone he's met, there's still the sadness of having forgotten them which the figure attempts to warn not to let it consume him. Data-Sora disregards this message and fights the figure, revealed to be Data-Roxas. After losing, Data-Roxas gives him a card as Mickey appears.

Data-Sora opens the next door to find Data-Naminé, who reveals the bugs to have been an unintentional side effect of her attempt to restore Sora's memories. She then reveals Sora's nature as the "Key that connects everything" through his ties. Furthermore, Data-Naminé tells Data-Sora about three figures whose also tied to Sora's heart who are the ones referred to in the message and need his help. Mickey bids farewell to Data-Sora and promises Data-Naminé that he will inform the real Sora of this.

In Ansem the Wise's computer room in Hollow Bastion, Braig, Dilan, Even, Aeleus, Ienzo, Isa, and Lea return to their human forms as a result of the destruction of both their Heartless and Nobodies. Everyone except Braig is unconscious; Braig speaks to Young Xehanort and deduces that the absence of Master Xehanort despite Xemnas's destruction means that the elderly Keyblade Master has already put his plans into action. Braig is unsure of Master Xehanort's intentions, and Young Xehanort, who is also unsure, tells his accomplice that Keyblades are passed down by their wielders to their apprentices from generation to generation. Young Xehanort emphasizes the importance of No Name, the Keyblade that he will wield one day, and knowing that the weapon is somehow connected to the Keyblade War, Braig decides to accomplish his own goals. He contemplates who to take along with him, and Young Xehanort begins to speak Saïx's name.

Mickey promptly sends Sora a bottled letter. Back at Destiny Islands, Sora takes the parchment out of the bottle, and reads Mickey's message with Riku and Kairi.

Sometime later, Mickey informing Yen Sid that they are close to locating Ventus's heart and have only to find Terra. However, Yen Sid delivers the shocking news that Xehanort has been revived due to the destruction of both Ansem and Xemnas at the hands of Sora, which will ultimately lead to Master Xehanort's revival. Realizing that not just a "single" Xehanort has returned, Yen Sid orders Mickey to summon Sora and Riku before him to undertake a Mark of Mastery exam in order to become full-fledged Keyblade Masters for their imminent clash with Master Xehanort.

Cast

 * Gage Knox as Data-Sora
 * Tony Anselmo as Donald Duck
 * Bill Farmer as Goofy
 * David Reale as Data-Riku
 * Bret Iwan as Mickey Mouse
 * Joe Ochman as Jiminy Cricket
 * Susanne Blakeslee as Maleficent
 * Jim Cummings as Pete
 * Meaghan Martin as Naminé
 * Joe Ochman as Jiminy Cricket
 * Jesse McCartney as Data-Roxas

Development
The untitled animation project based on the game series had revealed its theatrical release plans through early 2021.

Music
Alan Menken composed the score for Coded. The score was released on April 2, 2021. "Effortlessly" by Madison Beer and "Somehow?" by Lydia Luce are featured in the film.

Release
Coded was released in theaters on April 9, 2021 with a simultaneous release on the streaming service Disney+, via paid purchase through its "Premiere Access" service.

Home Media
Coded was released on Digital HD by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment on June 9, 2021 and DVD, Blu-ray, and Ultra HD Blu-ray on July 13, 2021.