Cocoon: The Return

Cocoon: The Return
Promotional poster; Art by John Alvin
Directed by	Daniel Petrie
Produced by	Richard D. Zanuck
Written by	Stephen McPherson
Starring	Don Ameche Wilford Brimley Courteney Cox Hume Cronyn Jack Gilford Steve Guttenberg Barret Oliver Maureen Stapleton Elaine Stritch Jessica Tandy Gwen Verdon Tahnee Welch
Music by	James Horner
Cinematography	Tak Fujimoto
Edited by	Mark Warner
Distributed by	20th Century Fox
Release date	November 23, 1988 (1988-11-23)
Running time	116 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$17.5 million
Box office	$25 million

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Cocoon: The Return is a 1988 American science fiction fantasy comedy-drama film directed by Daniel Petrie and written by Stephen McPherson. The film serves as the sequel to the 1985 film Cocoon. All of the starring actors from the first film reprised their roles in this film, although Brian Dennehy only appears in one scene at the end of the film. Unlike its predecessor, the film was neither a commercial nor a critical success at the time of release, though has increased in popularity in subsequent years.

Five years after they left, the Antareans return to Earth to rescue the cocoons that were left behind. Before they can be retrieved, one of the cocoons is discovered by a science research team and taken to a secure laboratory for testing. The aliens and their human allies must find a way to retrieve the cocoon in time for their rendezvous with the rescue ship, while the humans travelling with them must decide whether to return to Antarea or stay on Earth and become mortal again.

Joe learns that his leukemia has returned, but he knows it will be cured again as soon as he and Alma leave Earth. When Alma is hit by a car while saving a child, Joe gives up the last of his lifeforce, saving her life but sacrificing his. Before dying, he tells Alma to take the job and that he loves her. Art and Bess learn that Bess is pregnant, and decide to raise the child on Anterea so they will live long enough to see him grow up. Ben and Mary reconnect with their family and friends, including Bernie who is shown to have found love with Ruby, alleviating his suicidal depression over Rose's death. And although a lovelorn Jack once again attempts to woo Kitty, she instead grants him a vision of his future, showing him children and a wife with a small heart-shaped birthmark on her neck.

The next night, before Ben, Mary, Art and Bess leave to meet the Antareans, Alma tells them she is staying on Earth to work at the preschool. Art, Kitty, Ben and his grandson David then rescue the Antarean from the Oceanographic Institute. Sara, one of the scientists working at the institute becomes aware of the company's plans to hand the alien over to the military. Unhappy about this, when she discovers the rescuers she allows them to escape.

After the four get the Antarean on Jack's boat out at sea, Ben makes it known to everyone that he and Mary were going to stay on Earth as well, since family was more important than living forever and that they should not outlive their children. When the space ship arrives, they are met by Walter before the Antareans, Art, Bess, and the cocoons left behind from the previous trip are brought aboard the space ship which departs for their homeworld.