Spy Kids
Template:Short description Template:About Template:Infobox media franchise Spy Kids is an American media franchise centered on a series of spy action comedy films created by Robert Rodriguez. The plot follows children siblings, who discover that their respective parents are spies and become involved in an espionage organization when their parents go missing.
Background
Influences
Spy Kids was influenced by elements of the James Bond movies, through the genre of family films. The films also include Hispanic themes, as Rodriguez is of Mexican descent.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Rodriguez has stated that the first movie was "a fusion of Willy Wonka and James Bond",<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> while the second was the "Mysterious Island and James Bond mix".
The spy organization in the films is called the OSS. These initials are from the Office of Strategic Services, a former U.S. intelligence organization during World War II which later evolved into the CIA. The character Donnagon Giggles was named after William Joseph Donovan, the director of the original OSS.<ref name="cia2009december31">CIA: Look Back … Gen. William J. Donovan Heads Office of Strategic Services</ref> The initials in the Spy Kids universe are never specified on screen, but, in one of the books, they stand for the Organization of Super Spies.Template:Cn
Themes
One of the main themes of Spy Kids is the unity of family. The children have adult responsibilities, and a lesson is that keeping secrets from family members can have a negative effect on relationships. The first film also deals extensively with sibling rivalry and the responsibility of older children. There is also a strong sense of Latino heritage.Template:Cn
Technical innovations
The other films were shot with High Definition digital video,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> parts of the third film using an anaglyphic process to create the 3-D effect. Audiences were given red/blue 3D glasses with their tickets in movie theatres. Four sets of these glasses were also included in the DVD release. The third film was used as a test for a special Texas Instruments digital projector which can project polarized 3D, which does not require the red-blue lenses, later reused for The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D (2005).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Films
| Film | U.S. release date | Director | Screenwriter(s) | Producers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spy Kids | Template:Dts | Robert Rodriguez | Robert Rodriguez | Robert Rodriguez & Elizabeth Avellán |
| Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams | Template:Dts | |||
| Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over | Template:Dts | |||
| Spy Kids: All the Time in the World | Template:Dts | |||
| Spy Kids: Armageddon<ref name="ProductionWeeklyMay2022" /> | Template:Dts | Racer Max & Robert Rodriguez | Racer Max, Don Granger, Dana Goldberg, David Ellison, Robert Rodriguez & Elizabeth Avellán |
Spy Kids (2001)
Template:Main After retiring from espionage for ten years, Gregorio and Ingrid (Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino) are pulled back into duty for their important assignment despite the fact they were out of practice, and were captured. Their two children, Carmen and Juni (Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara), stay with their uncle Felix Gumm (Cheech Marin) and discover the truth of their parents' past, which they had neglected to tell them because they were afraid that if they knew, they would picture danger at every corner; and decide to rescue them. On their first mission, Carmen and Juni manage to bring around their estranged uncle, Isador "Machete" Cortez (Danny Trejo), a genius gadget inventor and Juni helps to redeem a TV show host named Fegan Floop (Alan Cumming). Together, Carmen and Juni thwart the plan of Floop's notorious second in-command Alexander Minion (Tony Shalhoub) to develop an army of androids resembling young children (including Carmen and Juni themselves) for a mastermind named Mr. Lisp (Robert Patrick) and his partner Ms. Gradenko (Teri Hatcher). The robots based on Carmen and Juni became part of Floop's show. The film was shot on location in Austin, Texas.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams (2002)
Template:Main As agents of the OSS, Carmen and Juni try to save the daughter (Taylor Momsen) of the President of the United States (Christopher McDonald) while facing a particularly hard competition with Gary and Gerti Giggles (Matt O'Leary and Emily Osment), the two children of a double-dealing agent Donnagon Giggles (Mike Judge), whom Carmen and Juni helped to rescue them from the first film. Juni gets fired from the OSS after fighting with Gary over a smaller version of the transmooker, a device that can shut off all electronic devices even though it was Gary who started the fight. Juni loses his spot for the best spy kid of the year award, while Donnagon plans to steal the transmooker to take over the world. On their second mission, Carmen and Juni follow the trail to the mysterious island of Leeke Leeke which is home to Romero (Steve Buscemi), an eccentric scientist who attempted to create genetically miniaturised animals, but instead ended up with his island inhabited by mutant monsters. Eventually, Donnagon is fired and Gary is suspended, and the transmooker is destroyed. Juni is offered his job back, but in order to take a break from the OSS, he retires to start his own private eye agency.
Spy Kids 3D: Game Over (2003)
Template:Main After retiring from the OSS, Juni is thrust back into service when an evil mastermind named Sebastian "The Toymaker" (Sylvester Stallone) creates a fictional video game called Game Over, which hypnotizes its users. Carmen was sent on a mission to disable the game, but disappeared on Level 4. With the help of his maternal grandfather, Valentin Avellan (Ricardo Montalban), who uses a wheelchair, Juni is sent after Carmen and helps her to disable the game in order to save the world. It is revealed that Sebastian was the one who disabled Valentin in the first place. Instead of avenging his former partner, Valentin forgives Sebastian who is redeemed.
Spy Kids: All the Time in the World (2011)
Template:Main The OSS has become the world's top spy agency, while the Spy Kids department has become defunct. Marissa (Jessica Alba), a retired spy, is thrown back into the action along with her two stepchildren, Rebecca and Cecil (Rowan Blanchard and Mason Cook), when a maniacal Timekeeper (Jeremy Piven) attempts to take over the world. In order to save the world, Rebecca and Cecil must team up with Marissa.
Spy Kids: Armageddon (2023)
Template:Main The fifth installment titled Spy Kids: Armageddon, served as a relaunch of the franchise, involves a plot that centers on a multicultural family. Robert Rodriguez is again writer/director, while the project is a joint-venture production between Skydance Media and Spyglass Media Group.<ref name="Future_Deadline">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Future_Variety">Template:Cite web</ref> The film is scheduled for distribution on Netflix,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> making it the second Spy Kids project produced for the platform.<ref name="ProductionWeeklyMay2022">Template:Cite web</ref> Gina Rodriguez, Zachary Levi, Everly Carganilla and Connor Esterson were set to star,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> along with Billy Magnussen<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and D. J. Cotrona.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The plotline for the film: "When the children of the world's greatest secret agents unwittingly help a powerful Game Developer unleash a computer virus that gives him control of all technology, they must become spies themselves to save their parents and the world".<ref name=spring_tribune>Template:Cite news</ref> Production of the film wrapped in late August 2022,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and was released on Netflix on September 22, 2023.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Though the movie does not include other characters from the franchise, Rodriguez confirmed that it takes place in the same continuity as the previous installments.<ref name="Continuity.future_Yahoo">Template:Cite web</ref>
Future
In September 2023, Rodriguez confirmed that Netflix intends to develop additional Spy Kids movies,<ref name="Continuity.future_Yahoo" /> with the filmmaker expressing hope to begin production on a sequel the following year.<ref name="Future_Collider">Template:Cite web</ref> Rodriguez explained that Armageddon incorporated a new family because so much time had passed since All the Time in the World, and so he wanted to incorporate a new set of characters before returning to what came before; confirming that he intends to bring back "legacy characters" from the previous installments in future movies.<ref name="Continuity.future_Yahoo" />
Television
| Series | Season | Episodes | Originally released | Showrunner(s) | Network(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spy Kids: Mission Critical | 1 | 10 | Template:Start date | F.M. De Marco | Netflix |
| 2 | 10 | Template:Start date |
Spy Kids: Mission Critical (2018)
Template:Main An animated series based on the films, Spy Kids: Mission Critical, was released on Netflix in 2018.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The first and second seasons both consist of 10 episodes<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and is produced by Mainframe Studios.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Robert Rodriguez was one of the executive producers on the show.
Main cast and characters
Additional crew and production details
| Film | Crew/Detail | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Composer(s) | Cinematographer(s) | Editor | Production companies |
Distributing company |
Running time | ||
| Spy Kids | Danny Elfman, Gavin Greenaway, Heitor Pereira, John Debney, Robert Rodriguez, Los Lobos, and Harry Gregson-Williams | Guillermo Navarro | Robert Rodriguez | Troublemaker Studios Dimension Films |
Miramax Films | 1 hour 28 minutesTemplate:Efn | |
| [[Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams|Spy Kids 2: Template:Small]] |
John Debney & Robert Rodriguez | Robert Rodriguez | 1 hour 40 minutes | ||||
| [[Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over|Spy Kids 3-D: Template:Small]] |
Robert Rodriguez | 1 hour 24 minutes | |||||
| [[Spy Kids: All the Time in the World|Spy Kids: Template:Small]] |
Robert Rodriguez & Carl Thiel | Robert Rodriguez & Jimmy Lindsey | Robert Rodriguez & Rebecca Rodriguez | The Weinstein Company | 1 hour 29 minutes | ||
| [[Spy Kids: Armageddon|Spy Kids: Template:Small]] |
Rebel Rodriguez, John Debney & Robert Rodriguez | Robert Rodriguez | Robert Rodriguez | Troublemaker Studios Skydance Media Spyglass Media Group |
Netflix | 1 hour 37 minutes | |
Reception
Box office performance
| Film | Release date | Box office gross | Budget | Template:Nowrap | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North America | Other territories |
Worldwide | ||||
| Spy Kids | March 30, 2001 | $112,719,001 | $35,215,179 | $147,934,180 | $35,000,000 | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams | August 7, 2002 | $85,846,429 | $33,876,929 | $119,723,358 | $38,000,000 | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over | July 25, 2003 | $111,761,982 | $85,339,696 | $197,101,678 | $32,500,000 | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Spy Kids: All the Time in the World | August 18, 2011 | $38,538,188 | $47,026,122 | $85,564,310 | $27,000,000 | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Total | $Template:Val | $Template:Val | $Template:Val | $132,500,000 | ||
Critical and public response
The first and second film received positive reviews, the third and fifth film received mixed reviews, and the fourth film received negative reviews.
| Film | Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic | CinemaScore<ref name="CinemaScore">Template:Cite web</ref> |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spy Kids | 93% (128 reviews)<ref>Spy Kids Rotten Tomatoes</ref> | 71 (27 reviews)<ref>Template:Citation</ref> | A |
| Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams | 75% (135 reviews)<ref>Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams Rotten Tomatoes</ref> | 66 (29 reviews)<ref>Template:Citation</ref> | A– |
| Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over | 45% (141 reviews)<ref>Spy Kids 3-D - Game Over Rotten Tomatoes</ref> | 57 (30 reviews)<ref>Template:Citation</ref> | B+ |
| Spy Kids: All the Time in the World | 23% (61 reviews)<ref name=":0">Spy Kids: All the Time in the World in 4D Rotten Tomatoes</ref> | 37 (14 reviews)<ref name=":1">Template:Citation</ref> | B+ |
| Spy Kids: Armageddon | 55% (33 reviews)<ref>Spy Kids: Armageddon Rotten Tomatoes</ref> | 55 (10 reviews)<ref>Template:Citation</ref> | Template:CEmpty |
Home media
- September 18, 2001 (Spy Kids) on DVD by Buena Vista Home Entertainment
- February 18, 2003 (Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams) on DVD by Buena Vista Home Entertainment
- February 24, 2004 (Spy Kids 3D: Game Over) on DVD by Buena Vista Home Entertainment
- August 2, 2011 (Spy Kids, Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams, and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over) on DVD and Blu-ray Disc by Lionsgate (However, all 3 DVDs are still the original Buena Vista Home Entertainment copies.)
- November 15, 2011 (Spy Kids, Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams, and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over Triple Feature) on Blu-ray Disc by Lionsgate
- November 22, 2011 (Spy Kids: All the Time in the World) on DVD and Blu-ray by Anchor Bay Entertainment
- December 4, 2012 (Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over, The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D 3D Double Feature) on Blu-ray 3D Disc by Lionsgate
- September 22, 2020 (Spy Kids, Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams, and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over Triple Feature) on DVD and Blu-ray Disc reissue by Paramount
Books
Novelizations
Novelizations of the films Spy Kids, Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams, and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over were released by Disney-Hyperion. They were adapted by Megan Stine, Kiki Thorpe, and Kitty Richards.
The posters and end of the credits for each film say "Read the Talk/Miramax Books", telling the viewers to read the print retelling.
KD Novelties personalized book
In 2002, KD Novelties made a personalized children's book based on Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Spy Kids Adventures
Between 2003 and 2004, Disney-Hyperion released ten novels of a book series titled Spy Kids Adventures, written by Elizabeth Lenhard.
- One Agent Too Many
- A New Kind of Super Spy
- Mucho Madness
- OSS Wilderness
- Mall of the Universe
- Spy TV
- Superstar Spies
- Freeze-Frame
- Spring Fever
- Off Sides<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Comics
Syndicated Disney magazine comics (2001-2004)
From 2001 to 2004, children's anthology magazines Disney Adventures and BBC Magazines' Disney's Comic published over a dozen syndicated short comics that accompanied the first three films as well as additional stories for Disney's Comic. They were written by Steve Behling and/or Michael Stewart, penciled and inked by Christine Norrie, colored by John Green (with the exception of the April 2002 issue's comic The Big Drop, which was colored by Atomic Paintbrush, and the Disney Adventures Comic Zone first issue's comic Tomorrow Trouble, which was colored by Hi-Fi Color Design), and lettered by Michael Stewart.
Spy Kids
- Pop! Goes the World! (September 2001, Disney Adventures; November 2001, Disney Adventures Australia)
- Deep Trouble! (October 2001, Disney Adventures; December 2001, Disney Adventures Australia; July 2002, Disney's Comic)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Caught by the Web! (November 2001, Disney Adventures; January 2002, Disney Adventures Australia; September 2002, Disney's Comic)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- F.A.N.G.s a Lot! (March 2002, Disney Adventures; June 2002, Disney Adventures Australia; August 2002, Disney's Comic)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- The Big Drop! (April 2002, Disney Adventures; July 2002, Disney Adventures Australia)
- The Invisible Enemy! (May 2002, Disney Adventures; August 2002, Disney Adventures Australia)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Fright Flight! (June 2002, Disney Adventures; September 2002, Disney Adventures Australia)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- The Menace of Micro-Man! (Summer 2002, Disney Adventures; January 2003, Disney Adventures Australia)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- The Mysterious Many-Man! (Q3 2002, Disney Adventures Super Comic Special; September 2003, Disney Adventures Australia)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Tomorrow Trouble! (Summer 2004, Disney Adventures Comic Zone)
Spy Kids 2
- Rodeo Ruckus! (September 2002, Disney Adventures; March 2003, Disney Adventures Australia, Disney's Comic)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Face to Face with F.A.N.G.! (April 2003, Disney Adventures, Disney's Comic; December 2003, Disney Adventures Comic Book - All The Coolest Comics Australia)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Nightmare at 30,000 Feet! (May 2003, Disney's Comic)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Cereal-ised! (June 2003, Disney's Comic)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Spy Kids 3
- Top Gear! (July 2003, Disney's Comic; February 2004, Disney Adventures Australia)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- That's Snow Spy! (August 2003, Disney's Comic; Winter 2004, Disney Adventures Comic Zone)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Metal Menace! (September 2003, Disney's Comic; April 2004, Disney Adventures)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
McDonald's comics (2003)
In July 2003, McDonald's published a six-issue limited series based on Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over. It was distributed in McDonald's Happy Meals to promote the film, bundled with Happy Meal toys as well as anaglyph 3D glasses made for the comics.
- The Chip that Shook Up the World!
- The Diabolical Doctor Kent!
- The Outbreak of Silence!
- The Taking of the Presidency
- The Demise of Doctor Kent
- The Computer Planet<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Video games
- Spy Kids Challenger (2002, Game Boy Advance)
- Spy Kids: Mega Mission Zone (2002, Microsoft Windows and Mac)
- Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003, Microsoft Windows and Mac)
- Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003, Game Boy Advance)
- Spy Kids: Learning Adventures series
- The Underground Affair (2004, Microsoft Windows and Mac)
- The Man in the Moon (2004, Microsoft Windows and Mac)
- The Candy Conspiracy (2004, Microsoft Windows and Mac)
- The Nightmare Machine (2004, Microsoft Windows and Mac)
- Spy Kids: All the Time in the World (2011, Nintendo DS)
Related film series
Isador "Machete" Cortez, who appeared in all four Spy Kids film series as a supporting character, additionally had a series of two stand-alone films: Machete and Machete Kills, also written and directed by Robert Rodriguez. However, the Machete films share little in common with the Spy Kids films thematically and are not considered direct spin-offs, the first film instead being an adult-oriented action exploitation film, with the second film introducing science fiction elements; both films additionally share several cast members and characters with the Spy Kids films.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The idea for a Machete film came from a fake trailer promoting the Grindhouse double-feature by Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino.<ref name="PR Hollywood 1">Template:Cite news</ref> Trejo and Rodriguez have made two conflicting statements regarding its canonicity to the Spy Kids films; Trejo claimed that the films depict "what Uncle Machete does when he's not taking care of the kids",<ref name="PR Hollywood 1"/> while Rodriguez said in a Reddit AMA that they are alternate universes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Regardless, Rodriguez claimed that he was prompted by an incident on the set of the first Machete film to start envisioning a fourth film in the main Spy Kids film series, casting Jessica Alba as Machete's sister Marissa, a different character to the one she portrayed in Machete, with Trejo additionally reprising his role alongside her.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref><ref name="Announcement">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Notes
References
- Spy Kids
- American children's films
- Films directed by Robert Rodriguez
- Works by Robert Rodriguez
- Action film franchises
- Child superheroes
- Comedy film franchises
- Spy film series
- Superhero duos
- Children's film series
- Dimension Films films
- Miramax franchises
- Disney Publishing franchises
- The Weinstein Company
- Film series introduced in 2001