Many experts believe the Mexican population of the United States will greatly increase in the near future; Spy Kids is obviously set after that has already happened. Add to this the vaguely-described "dark and confusing times" about ten years before the first film, which doesn't seem to reflect the early 1990s.
What are the kids in the Spy Kids called?
Spy Kids is an American spy action comedy adventure family film series created by Robert Rodriguez. The main series follows the adventures of Carmen and Juni Cortez, two children who become involved in their parents' espionage. The films tend to have a strong Latino theme, as Rodriguez is of Mexican descent.
What is the setting of Spy Kids?
Note that street signs and billboards from the first film are written in both Spanish and English, implying a bilingual society. Many experts believe the Mexican population of the United States will greatly increase in the near future; Spy Kids is obviously set after that has already happened.
How many Spy Kids movies has machete been in?
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.
Who is the creator of the Spy Kids?
Spy Kids is an American spy action comedy adventure family film series created by Robert Rodriguez. The main series follows the adventures of Carmen and Juni Cortez, two children who become involved in their parents' espionage.
Where is Spy Kids supposed to be located?
Robert Rodriguez officially returned to Austin, making it his home-base, with the production of the box office family hit "Spy Kids." This is the story of two young kids, Carmen (Alexa Vega) and Juni (Daryl Sabara), who become spies when their ex-super spy parents, Gregorio (Antonio Banderas) and Ingrid Cortez (Carla ...
Is the Spy Kids family Latino?
Though the involvement of notable Spaniard Antonio Banderas renders the Cortez family technically Hispanic and not Latino, the ostensible U.S. setting and Rodriguez's filmography allow the film's family to read as Mexican-American, and having Gregorio's brother portrayed by Chicano icon Danny Trejo certainly helps.
Was Spy Kids filmed at Six Flags?
According to Robert Rodriguez, the theme park at the beginning of the film was originally going to be Disneyland, but Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington was used instead.
How old is Juni and Carmen in Spy Kids?
Daryl Sabara played the character of Juni Cortez when he was nine. His on-screen sister, Alexa PenaVega, was 13 when she played Carmen Cortez.
How can I be a spy kid?
"How To Be A Spy" is a book that was first discovered by Carmen Cortez in the Safehouse that contains the basics of Spy tips and training. The book is later mentioned by Gary Giggles in Spy Kids 2: Island Of Lost Dreams. The author of the book is currently unknown.
Is Daryl Sabara a Mexican?
He is of Russian-Jewish descent from his mother and Polish descent from his father, and had a Bar Mitzvah ceremony. Sabara began performing with the regional ballet company, South Bay Ballet.
Are Spy Kids and Sharkboy and Lavagirl connected?
Although the Spy Kids movies and Sharkboy and Lavagirl don't share any characters and tell separate stories, it's widely believed by fans that they take place in the same universe due to their visual similarities.
Is the troublemaker theme park real?
The theme park was filmed at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, Texas.
How much did Sylvester Stallone make Spy Kids?
Stallone finally accepted just $25,000 for the script in exchange for the chance to star. His faith in himself was rewarded. The film struck big, winning the Oscar for best picture. It's hard to believe now, but some critics compared Stallone to a young Marlon Brando.
Why did Juno have warts?
Personality. At first, Juni was shy, had no self-confidence, and in general a total scaredy-cat. Life had frightened him so much his palms had been permanently sweaty, which then led to warts.
Why did Junie leave the OSS?
After a fight resulting in Magna Men stealing a prototype of the Transmooker (It being caused when Gary tried to take it from Juni for the glory, only to blame Juni when the Magna Men took it away), Juni gets fired from the OSS.
Why did Carmen skip Spy Kids?
For most of her life, she had no idea her parents were secretly spies. Her main concern was with her little brother Juni, whom she felt she was unfairly forced to babysit. She responded by treating him harshly. She was also hungry for adventure, thus leading her to skip school.
What race are the Spy Kids?
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.
Why did Rodriguez make Spy Kids?
Rodriguez cited the inspiration for “Spy Kids” as his uncle, Gregorio Rodriguez, who had a successful career in the FBI. “There were no roles being written for Latins at that time, back in 1999, nor were they being cast. If I wasn't Latin, I would have given up the fight,” Rodriguez continued.
Is Spy Kids a Disney movie?
Dimension Films, which was then a Disney subsidiary, produced the Spy Kids franchise. Now, Dimension is run by Lantern Entertainment, so it doesn't appear that it'll be available on Disney+, the media conglomerate's streaming service set to debut next month.
How many Spy Kids movies are there?
Spy Kids2001Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dre...2002Spy Kids 3‑D: Game Over2003Spy Kids 4: All The Time In The World2011Spy Kids/Movies
Where was Spy Kids filmed?
Most of Spy Kids ' 48 days of filming was in Austin, Texas, although some exterior shots were done in South America.
When was Spy Kids released?
Release. In March 2001, Spy Kids screened for exhibitors at the ShoWest in Las Vegas. Spy Kids was the first film to be promoted as a part of a two-year between Miramax and Pop Secret signed on June 2001.
What is the name of the robot that interrogates Gregorio and Ingrid?
The androids are "dumb", and cannot function outside of their inherent programming. Lisp is furious, demanding usable androids. Floop, along with his second-in-command Alexander Minion, interrogates Gregorio and Ingrid about 'The Third Brain'.
How many robots are there in Carmen and Juni?
The 500 super-strong robots quickly overpower Minion, Lisp, and Gradenko. With advice from Juni, Floop introduces the robot versions of Carmen and Juni on his show. The family's breakfast is interrupted by Devlin, the director of the OSS, who has a mission for Carmen and Juni.
What happened to Felix in the safe house?
The house is assaulted by Ninja Thumbs-Thumbs, and Felix is captured while the children escape alone on a submarine, the Super Guppy, set to auto-pilot to a safe house. At the safe house, the children learn of their parents' past as they decide to rescue them.
What is the first spy kid movie?
This article is about the first film of the series. For the series, see Spy Kids. Spy Kids (stylised as SPY kids) is a 2001 American spy action comedy adventure film written, edited, directed and produced by Robert Rodriguez, co-produced by Elizabeth Avellán, and starring Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino, Alan Cumming, Teri Hatcher, Cheech Marin, ...
Who wrote the book Talk Miramax?
Talk Miramax Books released a novelization of the movie in March 2001. The novel was written by children's book author Megan Stine. The posters and end of the credits even say "Read the Talk/Miramax Books", telling the viewers to read the print retelling.
Where was Spy Kids 2001 filmed?
Spy Kids | 2001. Spy Kids. | 2001. Robert Rodriguez ’ inventive romp was filmed almost entirely in the Texas state capital, Austin, apart from a glimpse of Chile and a little of the director’s home town, San Antonio.
Where is the Cortez family home?
Amazingly, the location is real; it’s the Trois Estate, 3612 Pearce Road, Austin, west of town near Emma Long Metropolitan Park.
Where is San Diablo in San Antonio?
The aerial view of ‘San Diablo’ is of Santiago de Chile, the Chilean capital, but as the camera zooms in, the empty grass square mysteriously becomes the busy Travis Park, 301 East Travis, San Antonio, a couple of blocks northwest of the Alamo, which is where the kids fight with their robot doubles.
How much did Spy Kids cost?
Spy Kids cost only $36 million dollars to make, and Rodriguez knew how to make the film for that budget, despite a third of the movie being effects. In an interview with The Guardian, Rodriguez commented on his budget savvy approach to film-making and stated, " The first person you usually hire on an effects-based movie like this is an effects supervisor. I didn’t – I wanted to figure out how to do it myself. It’s just a case of being more creative: it looks like an expensive movie, but it’s all magic tricks. I edited it in my garage, and it had to feel personal or it would be like one of those studio-made kids' movies that are just awful. It's a big home movie, basically ".
How much did Spy Kids make in 2001?
Spy Kids opened theatrically in 3,104 venues on March 30, 2001, earning $26,546,881 in its first weekend and ranking first in the North American box office. It held the number one spot for three weeks before being toppled by the second weekend earnings of Bridget Jones's Diary, which was also released by Miramax.
How long was Spy Kids filmed?
Filming began in March 2000, ran for 67 days, filmed for 48 days and wrapped in late July 2000.
How good is Spy Kids?
Spy Kids received high critical acclaim upon release. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 93% approval score based on 126 reviews and an average rating of 7.2 out of 10. The site's critical consensus reads: "A kinetic and fun movie that's sure to thrill children of all ages." Metacritic reports a 71 out of 100 score based on 27 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
What movie was Spy Kids inspired by?
Spy Kids was also inspired by Rodriguez’s vignette in the 1995 film Four Rooms, which has four parts, each written and shot by a different director.
When did Spy Kids start?
Rodriguez started writing the script at the end of 1998, and turned it in in 1999. Changes such as altered lines and new dialogue were made until release. Although Rodriguez had the Spy Kids idea in mind for years, actual production wasn't planned to begin until October 1999, which was then pushed to March 2000. During the time between the original 1999 start date and the new 2000 start date, Rodriguez travelled to Chile and the Bahamas to shoot second unit photography for Spy Kids. Production of Spy Kids was plagued with setbacks. Principal photography was delayed for 15 months, and its digital effects required labor-intensive post production.
When did Rodriguez make Spy Kids?
I thought I would do a movie of that, that kind of action and adventure ". Rodriguez first thought of the idea for Spy Kids in 1994, but held off on making the movie because of the special effects he needed to incorporate into the story.
Who plays Machete in Spy Kids?
Spy Kids leads Alexa Vega, Daryl Sabara and Antonio Banderas, as well as Cheech Marin, all have roles of varying importance across the Machete films. As a result, it’s been debated by fans whether ...
What was the name of the kid movie that Robert Rodriguez made?
Years later in 2010, Rodriguez’s Machete launched, appealing to that same, now older audience while quickly cementing itself as an adored exploitation movie teeming with schlock of the best kind.
Is Spy Kids and Machete related?
Still, despite not being directly connected, there’s a thematic tissue binding Spy Kids and Machete. Whether Rodriguez consciously intended it or not, the two sets of movies showcase the often overlooked duality of the Mexican-American experience in the United States.
Do the Rodriguez movies take place in the same universe?
As a result, it’s been debated by fans whether Rodriguez’s two franchises take place in the same universe. In a Reddit IAmA from six years ago, Rodriguez left nothing to the imagination by stating that while the movies share actors and characters (to a degree), the two series take place in alternate universes.
Is Spy Kids the same as Machete?
While the two series feature the same actors and characters, the answer to whether Spy Kids and Machete share the same universe is complicated. For a lot of young kids in the 2000s, Robert Rodriguez’s Spy Kids trilogy was an undeniable figurehead of childhood entertainment.
Who plays Junito in Spy Kids?
Younger brother Junito Rocket Racer Rebel "Juni" Cortez (Daryl Sabara) has it pretty rough at the beginning of the first Spy Kids film. His older sister can't stand him and constantly picks on him, and despite her poor treatment of him, Juni keeps confidential a very embarrassing secret about her. After the siblings are forced to work together in order to save their spy parents, Juni finally starts to get some of the respect he deserves from his big sis as she learns the value of family.
Who played Uncle Machete in Spy Kids?
In addition to reprising his role as Uncle Machete in the other Spy Kids films, Trejo got his own Machete franchise when Robert Rodriguez decided to expand a fake trailer from the movie Grindhouse into a full-length feature, 2010's Machete. In the film, Machete shows a much darker side than seen in any of the Spy Kids movies. Trejo also played the role in the 2013 sequel, Machete Kills. Perhaps one of the most in-demand character actors in Hollywood today, Trejo has appeared in hundreds of roles over his three-decade career. In addition to acting, he is quite a foodie; he owns several restaurants around the Los Angeles area and recently announced plans to open a new donut shop.
Who is Alexa's husband?
In 2014, she married Big Time Rush star Carlos Pena Jr. and the couple decided to both change their last names to the blended "PenaVega." They later welcomed their first child, Ocean King PenaVega, in December of 2016. In addition to continuing her acting career and raising her new family, Alexa and her husband also launched their own clothing line in 2016, called Cross Your Heart.
Did Hatcher play in Spy Kids?
She never reprised her role in any of the Spy Kids sequels, but Hatcher did go on to star in numerous television shows and movies in the years since then. Notably, she played a starring role in Desperate Housewives for eight years and lent her voice to animated roles in several animated features. Most recently, Hatcher has played the recurring part of Queen Rhea in the CW series Supergirl. She also recently reunited with her former co-star Dean Cain, from the show that helped make her famous: Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.
Overview
Spy Kids (stylised as SPY kids) is a 2001 American spy action comedy film written, edited, directed and produced by Robert Rodriguez, co-produced by Elizabeth Avellán, and starring Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino, Alan Cumming, Teri Hatcher, Cheech Marin, Danny Trejo, Robert Patrick, Tony Shalhoub, Alexa Vega, Daryl Sabara, and Mike Judge.
Plot
Gregorio and Ingrid Cortez are spies with two children, Carmen and Juni, whom they shield from their lives to protect them from inherent danger. They work for the OSS doing office consultant work, but are suddenly called back to active field work to find missing agents. Gregorio suspects children's television host Fegan Floop has kidnapped them, mutating them into his "FoOglies" – creatures on his show. The children are left in the care of their uncle, Felix Gumm.
Cast
• Antonio Banderas as Gregorio Cortez
• Carla Gugino as Ingrid Cortez
• Alan Cumming as Fegan Floop
• Teri Hatcher as Ms. Gradenko, one of Floop's henchmen
Production
Robert Rodriguez's first family-oriented production was the short film Bedhead (1991); since the release of El Mariachi (1992) a year later, he desired to make the same type of full-length family features as he experience in his childhood. He wanted a product that felt like it was written, directed, and produced by a kid. His initial plan for that type of film was children initially not knowing their parents were spies until they had to save their captured parents, and an antagonis…
Music
The film score is written by John Debney and Danny Elfman, with contributions from a variety of others, including director Robert Rodriguez and Marcel Rodriguez. Among Elfman's contributions is "Floop's Song (Cruel World)", which is performed by Cumming. Los Lobos covers the Tito Puente song, "Oye Como Va" (adapted as "Oye Como Spy" by David Garza and Robert Rodriguez). The song was nominated for "Outstanding Song in a Motion Picture Soundtrack" at the 2002 ALMA Awards. …
Release
In March 2001, Spy Kids screened for exhibitors at the ShoWest in Las Vegas.
Spy Kids was the first film to be promoted as a part of a two-year deal between Miramax and Pop Secret signed in June 2001. Formalized thanks to the successes of Spy Kids and Bridget Jones's Diary (2001), the deal stated annually, and for five films, Pop Secret popcorn would be present at theater screenings and as tie-ins for video releases. For Spy Kids, Pop Secret popcorn was in the…
Reception
Spy Kids opened theatrically in 3,104 venues on March 30, 2001, earning $26.5 million in its first weekend and ranking first in the North American box office. It held the number one spot for three weeks before being toppled by the second weekend earnings of Bridget Jones's Diary, which was also released by Miramax. The film ultimately grossed $112.7 million in the United States and Canada, and $35.2 million internationally for a worldwide total of $147.9 million.
Legacy
Retrospective pieces consider Spy Kids significant in 2001 for starring a Latino secret-agent family. Shalhoub added other reasons it was a unique family film: "I don't think there was anything ever like this before. So it had that whole component going for it, too. It was comedic. It was a little creepy in places. I think it had a bit of a darker side. It just checked a lot of boxes."
Vulture writer Iana Murray positively described Spy Kids, with oddities like the Thumb-Thumbs, a…