Spy Kids Is Getting Rebooted On Netflix, And Robert Rodriguez Is Coming Back
Netflix has scooped up yet another franchise film in the form of a new "Spy Kids" movie. It had previously been revealed that a reboot of the kid-friendly franchise was in development, though it was a little unclear precisely what form it was going to take. Now, we know that it will be a big streaming movie with original director Robert Rodriguez back in the saddle to usher in the series for a new generation.
The news was confirmed by Netflix via press release, with the company confirming that they have made a pact for the film along with Skydance, Spyglass (the company that owns the franchise), as well as Rodriguez. Plot details for what will ultimately be the fifth film in the franchise remain under wraps for the time being. It's not clear if any of the previous stars, such as Alex PanaVega or Daryl Sabar, will be returning to the fold. All that has been said is that the new film "will introduce the world to a new family of spies."
Rodriguez is set to write, produce, and direct the new "Spy Kids" movie, with David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, Elizabeth Avellan, and Racer Max also on board to produce. Gary Barber and Peter Oillataguerre of Spyglass are set as executive producers.
A reboot ripe for streaming
"Spy Kids" hit theaters in 2001 and managed to do very solid business as a family-friendly action-adventure flick, doing $197 million at the box office against a $35 million budget. That paved the way for three sequels; "Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams," "Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over," and "Spy Kids: All the Time in the World." In total, the series has grossed $565 million, and "All the Time in the World" earned a very disappointing $80 million. So, for the most part, this has been quite a solid hit-maker.
That having been said, the franchise has been dormant for some time and, as mentioned, the fourth entry was a low point. Meanwhile, Netflix can cash in pretty effectively on nostalgia and they already had a successful venture with Rodriguez when he directed "We Can Be Heroes" for the streamer, with the film hitting the service in 2020. And it did well enough to warrant a sequel. That relationship likely paved the way for this deal to happen, and it frankly seems like a good fit. While this might have been a gamble theatrically, it seems like an almost guaranteed home run in the streaming world.
The "Spy Kids" reboot does not currently have a release date set.