Spy Kids (films)

''Spy Kids'' is an American spy family action- adventure comedy franchise created by Robert Rodriguez. The plot follows adventures of Carmen and Juni Cortez, two children who become involved in their parents' espionage organization. The films include Latino themes, as Rodriguez is of Mexican descent.

Background

Influences

''Spy Kids'' was influenced by James Bond films. The first film was "a fusion of Willy Wonka and James Bond" and 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.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.

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 also is a strong sense of Latino heritage.

Technical innovations

The other films were shot with High Definition digital video, 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).

Films

''Spy Kids'' (2001)

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.

''Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams'' (2002)

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 3-D: Game Over'' (2003)

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)

The OSS has become the world's top spy agency, while the Spy Kids department has become defunct. A retired spy Marissa ( Jessica Alba) 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.

Future

In January 2021, it was announced that a reboot of the franchise is in development, with a film involving a plot that centers around a multicultural family. Robert Rodriguez will again serve as writer/director, while the project will be a joint-venture production between Skydance Media and Spyglass Media Group. In March 2022, it was revealed to have landed at Netflix, making it the second ''Spy Kids'' project produced for the platform.

''Production Weekly'' had included the film in their report of upcoming projects in development. It is to be titled '' Spy Kids: Armageddon'', which was the original title for ''Spy Kids: All the Time in the World''. In June 2022, it was announced that Gina Rodriguez, Zachary Levi, Everly Carganilla and Connor Esterson were set to star. In July 2022, it was announced that Billy Magnussen was set to star. In August 2022, it was announced that D. J. Cotrona was set to star. The logline for the film is as follows: “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.” Production wrapped in late August 2022.

Television

''Spy Kids: Mission Critical'' (2018)

On June 16, 2016, Netflix announced an animated ''Spy Kids'' television show entitled ''Spy Kids: Mission Critical'' with The Weinstein Company. The first and second seasons both consist of 10 episodes and is produced by Mainframe Studios.

The series was announced by Mike Fleming Jr and created by Michael Hefferon and Sean Jara on May 6, 2015, with the villains being described “as colorful” as the protagonists, and the series is said to contain “as much comedy as wish fulfillment.” FM DeMarco is the head writer of the series. WOW! Unlimited Media Inc.'s Vancouver-based Mainframe Studios, the TV division of Rainmaker Entertainment, partnered with the Weinstein Company to produce the series, with the series being described as a "multi-season commitment". Robert Rodriguez serves as one of the executive producers due to Bob Weinstein dropping out and Harvey Weinstein getting fired from TWC. It premiered on Netflix worldwide on April 20, 2018.

Main cast and characters

Additional crew and production details

Reception

Box office performance

Critical and public response

Though the first and second film received positive reviews, the series experienced a steadily declining critical reception with each film.

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 15th, 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 Blu-ray Disc reissue by Paramount

Other media

Video games

* ''Spy Kids Challenger'' ( Game Boy Advance)
* ''Spy Kids Mega Mission Zone'' ( PC/ Mac)
* ''Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over'' (Game Boy Advance and PC/Mac)
* ''Spy Kids: Learning Adventures'' series (PC/Mac)
* ''Spy Kids: All the Time in the World'' (Nintendo DS)

See also

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. The idea for a ''Machete'' film came from a fake trailer promoting the '' Grindhouse'' double-feature by Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino. Trejo and Rodriguez have made two conflicting statements regarding its canonicity to the ''Spy Kids'' films. Trejo stated that the films depict "what Uncle Machete does when he's not taking care of the kids", while Rodriguez stated in a Reddit AMA that they are alternate universes. Regardless, Rodriguez has stated 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.

Notes

# The Walt Disney Company had to cut their own share on the fourth film with The Weinstein Company to 5% after the latter party lost their bid to reclaim Miramax Films."Miramax movies, Harvey and Bob Weinstein, Ron Tutor"
NYDailyNews.com. February 3, 2011.

References

{{Robert Rodriguez

American children's films
Films directed by Robert Rodriguez
Fictional secret agents and spies
Action film franchises
Comedy film franchises
Spy film series
Children's film series
Dimension Films films
Miramax franchises
Paramount Pictures franchises