Spy Kids
Alexa Vega as Carmen Cortez in Spy Kids
Directed by	Robert Rodriguez
Written by	Robert Rodriguez
Distributed by	Dimension Films Troublemaker Studios
Release date(s)	2001 – 2003
Country	USA
Language	English

Spy Kids is the name of a family-action/adventure trilogy of films beginning in 2001 and ending in 2003. They're about the children of a married spy couple who become involved in their parents' espionage. The rest of their family are also spies as well, including their uncle Machete (who supplies the OSS with gadgets) and grandparents. Alexa Vega in Spy Kids, screenshot, deemed fair use This is a screenshot of a copyrighted website, video game graphic, computer program graphic, television broadcast, or film. ... Alexa Ellesse Vega (born August 27, 1988) is an American actress and occasional singer. ... Carmen Elizabeth Juanita Echo Sky Brava Cortez is a fictional character in the Spy Kids films, played by Alexa Vega. ... Robert Anthony Rodríguez (born June 20, 1968) is an American writer and film director. ... Robert Anthony Rodríguez (born June 20, 1968) is an American writer and film director. ... Dimension Films is a motion picture unit currently a part of The Weinstein Company. ... Troublemaker Studios is a production company owned by Robert Rodriguez and his ex-wife, producer Elizabeth Avellan. ... For the 1968 science-fiction film and novel, see 2001: A Space Odyssey // August 8 - Actor Tom Cruise and actress Nicole Kidman get divorced. ... // February 24 - The Pianist, directed by Roman Polanski, wins 7 Cesar Awards: Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Sound, Best Production Design, Best Music and Best Cinematography. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... A family film is a film genre that, like a childrens film, is suitable for young children, but with the difference that a family film has been carefully written, directed, cast and acted so that it will appeal to all members of a typical family (or if not typical... Action films, or movies, are a film genre, where action sequences, such as fighting, stunts, car chases or explosions, take precedence over elements like characterisation or complex plotting. ... The quintessential adventure film. ... A trilogy is a set of three works of art, usually literature or film, that are connected and can generally be seen as a single work as well as three individual ones. ... Film may refer to: photographic film a motion picture in academics, the study of motion pictures as an art form a thin skin or membrane, or any covering or coating, whether transparent or opaque a thin layer of liquid, either on a solid or liquid surface or free-standing Film... For the 1968 science-fiction film and novel, see 2001: A Space Odyssey // August 8 - Actor Tom Cruise and actress Nicole Kidman get divorced. ... // February 24 - The Pianist, directed by Roman Polanski, wins 7 Cesar Awards: Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Sound, Best Production Design, Best Music and Best Cinematography. ... Spy and Secret agent redirect here. ...

Even though the Spy Kids films are espionage-based, MSN Movies ranks the original Spy Kids film as the ninth best superhero movie to date, behind X-Men, Batman, Spider-Man, The Incredibles, Superman the Movie, Darkman, The Super Inframan, and Hellboy.[1] The first film was released on March 30, 2001. McDonalds' released Spy Kids toys for its special Happy Meal for kids at the time of the first movie. X-Men is a 2000 American action movie, featuring a group of comic book superheroes called the X-Men. ... Batman is an American Academy Award-winning superhero film based on the DC Comics character Batman created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. ... Spider-Man swinging around his hometown, New York City. ... The Incredibles is a 2004 Academy Award-winning animated feature film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures, centering around a family of superheroes. ... Superman (also known as Superman: The Movie, as it was called in pre-release advertising), was a popular and critically acclaimed superhero film. ... Darkman is the title of a 1990 film directed by Sam Raimi, starring Liam Neeson. ... The Super Inframan (中國超人) (Mandarin: Zhong Guo Chao Ren, Cantonese: Jung Gwok Chiu Yan - literally Chinese Superman) is a Hong Kong tokusatsu-style superhero movie produced by Shaw Brothers Studio in 1975. ... Hellboy (also known as Super Sapiens in some countries) is a film based on the Dark Horse Comics work Hellboy. ... March 30 is the 89th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (90th in leap years). ... 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Many fans of the series have signed the online petition for a Spy Kids 4 movie. However, there still haven't been results yet.

Plots

Spy Kids (2001)

After nine years of retirement, Gregorio and Ingrid Cortez are pulled back into duty by a huge assignment, but they are a little out of practice, so they are easily captured. Their kids, Carmen and Juni, discover the truth of their parents' past, which Gregorio and Ingrid had neglected to tell them, and decide to rescue them. Carmen Elizabeth Juanita Echo Sky Brava Cortez is a fictional character in the Spy Kids films, played by Alexa Vega. ... Juni Rocket Racer Rebelde Cortez is a fictional character in the Spy Kids films played by Daryl Sabara. ...

Carmen and Juni manage to bring around their father's estranged brother Machete, a genius gadget inventor and Juni helps to redeem Fegan Floop. Together, they thwart the ambitious Alexander Minion's plans to develop an army of androids resembling young children for a mastermind named Lisp. There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ...

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

As agents of the OSS, Carmen and Juni face particularly hard competition with Gary and Gerti Giggles, the children of double-dealing agent Donagan Giggles, whom Carmen and Juni helped to rescue in the previous film. Juni gets fired from the OSS after fighting over a smaller version of the transmooker with Gary and loses his spot as the best kid spy of the year award. Donagan wants to steal the transmooker, a device that can shut off all electronic devices, so he can take control of the world. Image File history File links Spy_Kids_2. ... // Electronics is the study of electron mechanics. ...

Carmen and Juni follow the trail to a mysterious island, which is home to Romero, an eccentric scientist who tried to create genetically-minaturised animals, but instead ended up with his island inhabited by mutant monsters (who do not turn out to be so monstrous in the end). Eventually, Donagan is fired and Gary suspended, and the transmooker is destroyed. Juni is offered his job back but in order to take a break from the OSS he retires from the OSS to start his own private eye agency which is shown in Spy Kids 3-D Game Over.

Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003)

Juni is thrust back into service when Sebastian the Toymaker, an evil mastermind, creates a video game Game Over that mesmerizes its users. Carmen was sent on a mission to disable the game, but disappeared on Level 4. With the help of his grandfather, Valentin Avellan, who is a wheelchair user, Juni is sent after Carmen and helps to disable the game and save the world. It is revealed the Toymaker was the one who disabled Valentin in the first place. Instead of avenging his former partner, Valentin forgives Sebastian who is redeemed. This 3-D movie was filmed using James Cameron's Fusion Camera system. Namcos Pac-Man was a hit, and became a cultural phenomenon. ... For 3D computer graphics and related software, see 3D computer graphics. ... For other persons named James Cameron, see James Cameron (disambiguation). ...

Background/Production

Influences

Spy Kids was heavily influenced by James Bond films. Director Robert Rodriguez says the first film was the "Willy Wonka and James Bond mix" and the second was the "Mysterious Island and James Bond mix"; by this pattern the third film could be described as the "Tron and James Bond mix". Technology in Spy Kids is almost always portrayed as looking friendly, and a bit cartoonish. Flemings commissioned image of James Bond to aid the Daily Express comic strip artists. ... The film director, on the right, gives last minute direction to the cast and crew, whilst filming a costume drama on location in London. ... Robert Anthony Rodríguez (born June 20, 1968) is an American writer and film director. ... Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is a musical film adaptation of Roald Dahls classic book for children Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. ... Cover page of the Mysterious Island Map of Lincoln Island Mysterious Island (LÎle mystérieuse) is a novel by the French writer Jules Verne, published in 1874. ... Tron is a 1982 Walt Disney Productions science fiction film starring Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn (and his counterpart inside the electronic world, Clu), Bruce Boxleitner as Alan Bradley (and Tron), Cindy Morgan as Lora Baines (and Yori) and Dan Shor as Ram. ...

The Spy Kids films are like Christian Wilson films, but with twists which are usually humorous. For instance, in the first film, a robot army is built to conquer the world. The twist is the robots are made to look exactly like children under about the age of 15 (these are the "Spy Kids" that the first movie title refers to: Juni rips off the robot Carmen's dog tags in one scene. There are 500 robot spy kids). There are often jokes about how routine saving the world is.

The spy organization featured in Spy Kids is called the OSS. The initials seem to have been derived from the Office of Strategic Services, a former American intelligence organization. Note there is a character named Donnagan Giggles, after William Joseph Donovan, the director of the real OSS. What the initials stand for in the Spy Kids universe is never specified on screen, but, according to one of the books, they stand for the Organization of Super Spies. The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency and was a lineage precursor to the Central Intelligence Agency, as well as for the Special Forces and Navy Seals, who have traced their lineage back to... William Donovan William Joseph Donovan (January 1, 1883 – February 8, 1959) was born in Buffalo, New York on New Years Day, 1883, and is best remembered today as wartime head of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). ...

Themes

One of the chief themes of Spy Kids is the unity of family. The films also play with the idea of children having adult responsibilities, and how 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.

Technical innovations

The second and third films were shot with High Definition digital video, parts of the third film using an anaglyphic process to create the 3-D effects. Audiences were given red/blue glasses with their ticket purchase. Four sets of these glasses were also included in the DVD release. The third film was also used as a test for a special Texas Instruments digital projector which is supposed to be able to project polarized 3D, a process that does not require the red-blue lenses. Digital video is a type of video recording system that works by using a digital, rather than analog, representation of the video signal. ... Stereo card image modified for crossed eye viewing. ... DVD (commonly known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc) is an optical disc storage media format that can be used for data storage, including movies with high video and sound quality. ... Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN), better known in the electronics industry (and popularly) as TI, is an American company based in Dallas, Texas, USA, renowned for developing and commercializing semiconductor and computer technology. ...

Cast & Characters

• Antonio Banderas - Gregorio Cortez
  • Appearances: Spy Kids, Spy Kids 2: Island Of Lost Dreams, and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
  • Character Description: The father of Carmen and Juni, a former master spy and technological genius, notably in the field of artificial intelligence. He speaks with an accent that Grandma doesn't understand.
• Carla Gugino - Ingrid Cortez
  • Appearances: Spy Kids, Spy Kids 2: Island Of Lost Dreams and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
  • Character Description: The mother of Carmen and Juni, a bit protective about what her children are exposed to. Presumably defected to the OSS from another agency that may have been the ones crashing her wedding with Gregorio, though it is not explicitly stated which parent turned away from their country.
• Alexa Vega - Carmen Cortez
  • Appearances: Spy Kids, Spy Kids 2: Island Of Lost Dreams and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
  • Character Description: One of title characters, she is Juni's older sister and an expert hacker. The "leader" of the team, she fancies herself as more mature than she actually is. She can come off as cold and impersonal but deeply cares for her brother and family.
• Daryl Sabara - Juni Cortez
  • Appearances: Spy Kids, Spy Kids 2: Island Of Lost Dreams and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
  • Character Description: One of the title characters, Juni is Carmen's young brother, a short redheaded boy. Originally a childish loner, becoming a junior spy gives him courage and strength (though he is still prone to clumsiness). He becomes disillusioned by the clandestine nature of the OSS and leaves on bad terms.
• Ricardo Montalban - Grandpa Valentin Avellan
  • Appearances: Spy Kids 2: Island Of Lost Dreams and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
  • Character Description: Ingrid's father, wheelchair-bound former spy. He has a strong relationship with his grandson Juni.
• Holland Taylor - Grandma
  • Appearances: Spy Kids 2: Island Of Lost Dreams and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
  • Character Description: Ingrid's mother, doesn't approve of Gregorio. Her role is a spin on traditional mother-in-law jokes.
• Danny Trejo - Uncle Isidor "Machete" Cortez
  • Appearances: Spy Kids, Spy Kids 2: Island Of Lost Dreams and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
  • Character Description: Gregorio's older brother is a maker of spy gadgets, allegedly the best in the world. He is a tall, scary looking man who originally does not approve of children or his brother. His computer file in Spy Kids 3D describes him as having "a face only a mother could love."
• Alan Cumming - Fegan Floop
  • Appearances: Spy Kids, Spy Kids 2: Island Of Lost Dreams and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
  • Character Description: Host of children's show called Floop's Fooglies, now called Floop's Fooglie. Originally believed to be a deluded madman capable of twisting the world around, he reforms himself. He is sort of a combination between Willy Wonka and the Mad Hatter.
• Sylvester Stallone - The Toymaker
  • Appearances: Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
  • Character Description: The maker of the video game Game Over which was secretly made as part of a plan for world domination. A former member of the OSS, and particularly lonely. He creates three holographic reinterpretations of himself to act as his advisors.
• Steve Buscemi - Romero
  • Appearances: Spy Kids 2: Island Of Lost Dreams and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
  • Character Description: Genetic specialist who tried to make zoos with genetically miniaturized animals on an uninhabited island.
• Mike Judge - Donagan Giggles
  • Appearances: Spy Kids( as a Floogie)" Spy Kids 2: Island Of Lost Dreams and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
  • Character Description: The father of Gary and Gertie, evil villain who fears only his wife
• Salma Hayek - Francesca "Cesca" Giggles
  • Appearances: Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
  • Character Description: The mother of Gary and Gertie and wife of Donagan, she seems to have great control over her husband.
• Matt O'Leary - Gary Giggles
  • Appearances: Spy Kids 2: Island Of Lost Dreams and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
  • Character Description: Gary is one of Carmen and Juni's rivals. Carmen had a temporary romantic interest in him.
• Emily Osment - Gerti Giggles
  • Appearances: Spy Kids 2: Island Of Lost Dreams and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
  • Character Description: One of Carmen and Juni's rivals; she eventually turns against her father.
• Tony Shalhoub - Alexander Minion
  • Appearances: Spy Kids, Spy Kids 2: Island Of Lost Dreams and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
  • Character Description: The man behind Floop, he was turned into a Fooglie.
• Cheech Marin - Felix
  • Appearances: Spy Kids, Spy Kids 2: Island Of Lost Dreams and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
  • Character Description: Felix is an OSS agent who pretended to be Carmen and Juni's uncle.
• Teri Hatcher - Ms. Gradenko
  • Appearances: Spy Kids
  • Character Description: She is an OSS agent who is secretly a double agent for Floop.
• Robert Patrick - Mr. Lisp
  • Appearances: Spy Kids
  • Character Description: An evil mastermind, he pays Floop and Minion to build an army for him.
• Taylor Momsen - Alexandra
  • Appearances: Spy Kids 2: Island Of Lost Dreams
  • Character Description: The president's daughter and Juni's crush
• Courtney Jines - Demetra
  • Appearances: Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
  • Character Description: "The Deceiver"
• Ryan Pinkston - Arnold
  • Appearances: Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
  • Character Description: Beta tester for Game Over
• Robert Vito - Rez
  • Appearances: Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
  • Character Description: Beta tester for Game Over
• Bobby Edner - Francis
  • Appearances: Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
  • Character Description: Beta tester for Game Over
• Elijah Wood - "The Guy"
  • Appearances: Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
  • Character Description: The one in the Game Over poster. Allegedly the greatest game player in existence, and the only one who can bring the players into Level Five. It is never revealed whether he is a computer program or an actual person, though he appears to be 8 ft (2.4 m) tall and possesses 100 lives. He only appears for about 2 minutes in the whole movie before he dies.
• Christopher McDonald (actor) - The President of the United States
  • Appearances: Spy Kids 2: Island Of Lost Dreams
  • Character Description: Alexandra's father
• George Clooney - Devlin
  • Appearances: Spy Kids and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
  • Character Description: A mysterious character, the director of the OSS in the first film, and subsequent President of the United States in the third. He mentions having himself elected President. He usually appears on video with a black bar over his eyes to obscure his identity, though he can remove the bar and hold it in his hand as if it were a pair of sunglasses.

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Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution, published in 1984 by Steven Levy introduced the term hacker and its origins to broader usage. ... Daryl Christopher Sabara (born June 14, 1992) is an American film and television actor. ... Juni Rocket Racer Rebelde Cortez is a fictional character in the Spy Kids films played by Daryl Sabara. ... Redhead may refer to: A person with red hair The North American Redhead (duck), Aythya americana A colloquial name for the immatures and adult females (i. ... Ricardo Montalban (born November 25, 1920 in Mexico City) is a television and film actor. ... Holland Taylor (b. ... Although humour and jokes about ones mother-in-law (the mother of ones spouse) are nowadays considered politically incorrect, they were once the mainstay of British comedians such as Les Dawson and Jim Davidson. ... Danny Trejo Danny Trejo (born May 16, 1944) is a character actor who has appeared in many Hollywood movies. ... 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Reception

Box Office

The first film was a surprise hit, opening with $26.5 million and grossing a total of $112.7 million USD in North America and $35.2 million over-seas. The second film had a disappointing but still strong opening weekend of $16.7 million. Overall, it grossed $85.8 million in North America and $33.8 million overseas. The third and final film opened with a surprising $33.4 million, but didn't quite live up to the first "Spy Kids" total gross. In the end, it grossed $111 million in North America. However, its over-seas gross was double either of the first two "Spy Kids" at $85.3 million. Altogether, the "Spy Kids" trilogy grossed $351.1 million worldwide, making it one of the most successful trilogies of all time. The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ...

See also

• Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams
• Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over