Robert Rodriguez will look to re-imagine the “Spy Kids” franchise of family films, teaming with Skydance Media, which optioned the rights to the trilogy of films, and Spyglass Media Group, which owns the franchise.
Rodriguez will write and direct the new film, and like the original series, the new “Spy Kids” movie will focus on a multi-cultural family of international spies.
The original film from 2001 was a critical and box office success, grossing $147.9 million worldwide and starred Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino alongside its young stars, Alexa PenaVega and Daryl Sabara. The franchise became so popular, it spawned three more sequels, all of them directed by Rodriguez. The films grossed over $550 million at the worldwide box office.
Spyglass owns the “Spy Kids” franchise. Skydance will serve as the lead studio and oversee development and production. Spyglass’ Gary Barber and Peter Oillataguerre will executive produce.
Rodriguez recently had big success on Netflix with “We Can Be Heroes,” which is in the same universe as Rodriguez’s other popular 2000s family film, “The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lava Girl. And Rodriguez is already at work on a “We Can Be Heroes” sequel.
“Spy Kids” however was a major change of pace for Rodriguez, who was known for his stylized, more mature films such as “El Mariachi,” “Desperado” and “From Dusk Till Dawn.” In recent years he’s directed “Alita: Battle Angel” and an episode of “The Mandalorian.”
Skydance’s upcoming films include “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Mission: Impossible 7,” and it just set “The Adam Project” and “Heart of Stone” with Gal Gadot at Netflix.
Rodriguez is represented by WME and his attorney Craig Emanuel.
Deadline first reported the news.