'Spy Kids' Reboot In The Works With Original Director Robert Rodriguez

Ready for a Spy Kids reboot? Even if you're not, you're getting one anyway. Skydance is moving ahead with a revival of the family-friendly franchise, and they're bringing in original director Robert Rodriguez to write and direct. The film series first launched in 2001, and followed by three sequels and an animated series. The original films followed siblings Carmen and Juni Cortez, who discover they're part of an entire family of spies.

Robert Rodriguez recently returned to family-oriented fun with the Netflix movie We Can Be Heroes, a superhero flick that brought back characters from his flick The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl. When We Can Be Heroes was first announced, Rodriguez gave an interview where he said: "I've been getting calls from all kinds of studios: 'Reboot Spy Kids.' 'Reboot Sharkboy.' Of course they want to. They're all sitting at home with their kids."

I had a hard time believing Rodriguez was really fielding such calls, but it looks like I was dead wrong – because Deadline reports there is indeed a Spy Kids reboot in the works. Per Deadline's report, Skydance has "optioned the rights to reimagine the successful Spy Kids franchise alongside Spyglass Media Group and creator Robert Rodriguez." Rodriguez will write and direct the reboot which will "revolve around the activities of a multicultural family."

The original Spy Kids opened in 2001 and starred Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino as retired spies who get called back to work – only to end up captured. It falls to their kids, Carmen (Alexa Vega) and Juni (Daryl Sabara) to rescue them. Then came Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams in 2002, wherein "The Cortez siblings set out for a mysterious island, where they encounter a genetic scientist and a set of rival spy kids." Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over arrived in 2003. In that film, "Carmen's caught in a virtual reality game designed by the Kids' new nemesis, the Toymaker. It's up to Juni to save his sister, and ultimately the world."

Interestingly enough, the series has been rebooted once already, as the fourth entry – Spy Kids 4-D: All the Time in the World – featured new characters. In that film, "A retired spy is called back into action, and to bond with her new step-children, she invites them along for the adventure to stop the evil Timekeeper from taking over the world."

I'm sure there are plenty of people nostalgic to return to this franchise, and that's why Skydance is banking on here.