Spy Kids: Armageddon#Reception

{{Infobox film

| name = Spy Kids: Armageddon

| image = SKANetflix.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Promotional release poster for Spy Kids: Armageddon, only on Netflix September 22.

| director = Robert Rodriguez

| writer = {{Plainlist|

Robert Rodriguez
Racer Max

}}

| based_on =

| producer = {{plainlist|

David Ellison
Dana Goldberg
Don Granger
Racer Max
Robert Rodriguez
Elizabeth Avellán

}}

| starring = {{plainlist|

Gina Rodriguez
Zachary Levi
Connor Esterson
Everly Carganilla
D. J. Cotrona
Billy Magnussen

}}

| cinematography = Robert Rodriguez

| editing = Robert Rodriguez

| music = {{plainlist|

Rebel Rodriguez
John Debney
Robert Rodriguez{{efn|Rodriguez composed the original Spy Kids theme}}

}}

| production_companies = {{plainlist|

}}

| distributor = Netflix

| released = {{Film date|2023|09|22}}

| runtime = 97 minutes

| country = United States

| language = English

| budget =

| gross =

}}

Spy Kids: Armageddon is a 2023 American spy action comedy film produced, shot, edited, and directed by Robert Rodriguez, who co-wrote it with his son, Racer Max. It is the sequel{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/spy-kids-james-bond-comparisons-robert-rodriguez-interview-part-5-armageddon-netflix-173037983.html|work=Yahoo! Entertainment|title=Can 'Spy Kids' be the next James Bond? Robert Rodriguez has a plan.|author=Polowy, Kevin|date=September 22, 2023|accessdate=October 23, 2023|quote=“I wanted to reestablish a new family [in Armageddon],” he says. “It could still be in the same world, so if we get to make more films, there easily could be legacy characters that come back. But because it'd been so long [since 2011’s All the Time in the World], it was important to just start the franchise fresh and then go from there. I would love to bring back [characters], I would love to connect the worlds. That would be so fun.”}} to Spy Kids: All the Time in the World (2011) and the fifth main installment in the Spy Kids film series. Produced by Skydance Media, Spyglass Media Group and Troublemaker Studios, the film stars Gina Rodriguez (no relation to the film's director), Zachary Levi, Connor Esterson, and Everly Carganilla.

Spy Kids: Armageddon was released on September 22, 2023, by Netflix. The film received mixed reviews from critics.{{cite news |first=Justin |last=Kroll |title=Skydance Media To Reimagine The 'Spy Kids' Franchise With Spyglass Media And Series Creator Robert Rodriguez|url=https://deadline.com/2021/01/skydance-media-spy-kids-spyglass-media-robert-rodriguez-1234680783/ |access-date=January 26, 2021|work=Deadline Hollywood |date=January 26, 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.varietyinsight.com/production_restart_full_view.php?track_id=186966 | title=Film and TV Projects Going Into Production - Spy Kids|website=Variety Insight |access-date=March 26, 2021|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210326033659/https://www.varietyinsight.com/production_restart_full_view.php?track_id=186966 |archive-date=March 26, 2021}}

Plot

When the children of the world's greatest secret agents unwittingly help a powerful game developer unleash a computer virus that gives him control of all technology, they must become spies themselves to save their parents and the world. {{cite news |title='Spy Kids': Netflix Introduces Cast and Plot for Upcoming Reboot |url=https://springtribune.com/2022/06/25/spy-kids-netflix-introduces-cast-and-plot-for-upcoming-reboot/ |last=Keith |first=Chantel |website=Spring Tribune |date=June 25, 2022}}

Cast

Gina Rodriguez as Nora Torrez{{Cite web |title=The 'Spy Kids' Franchise Is Getting a Reboot |url=https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/spy-kids-reboot-netflix |access-date=2023-08-24 |website=Netflix Tudum |language=en}}
Zachary Levi as Terrence Tango
Connor Esterson as Antonio "Tony" Tango-Torrez
Everly Carganilla as Patricia "Patty" Tango-Torrez
D. J. Cotrona as Devlin, the head of the OSS. The character was previously portrayed by George Clooney in Spy Kids and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over.
Billy Magnussen as Rey “The King” Kingston, the main antagonist
Joe Schilling as the voice of Heck Knight
Solar Dena Bennett and Fabiola Andújar{{cite news |first=Fabiola |last=Andujar|title=Thank you for your gift and for powering our weekend @juiceland !!! When I was in Austin for "Spy Kids: Armageddon", I lived near JuiceLand and would pick up a Wundershowzen with an added shot of coffee on my way to set each morning. It always tasted the same, which I loved! I just ordered the usual, and it still tasted just as good as I remember!!! The compostable cups are also a huge plus🥤|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CoArt8uJ9Qj/ |access-date=May 13, 2023|work=Instagram |date=January 30, 2023}} as OSS Agents
Isaac Garza as the tournament host
Krystle Gutierrez as a newscaster

Production

A reboot of the Spy Kids franchise was revealed to be in development in January 2021. Series creator Robert Rodriguez returns as writer and director; the project is a joint-venture production between Skydance Media, Spyglass Media Group, and Troublemaker Studios.{{Cite web|last=Kroll|first=Justin|date=January 26, 2021|title=Skydance Media To Reimagine The 'Spy Kids' Franchise With Spyglass Media And Series Creator Robert Rodriguez|url=https://deadline.com/2021/01/skydance-media-spy-kids-spyglass-media-robert-rodriguez-1234680783/|access-date=January 29, 2021|website=Deadline}}{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2021/film/news/spy-kids-reboot-robert-rodriguez-1234892682/|work=Variety|title=Robert Rodriguez Rebooting 'Spy Kids' Franchise at Skydance Media|author=Rubin, Rebecca|date=January 26, 2021|accessdate=March 21, 2022}}{{Cite web |date=May 25, 2022 |title=Production Weekly – Issue 1300 – Thursday, May 26, 2022 / 17 Listings – 38 Pages |url=https://www.productionweekly.com/production-weekly-issue-1300-thursday-may-26-2022-177-listings-38-pages/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220607174914/https://www.productionweekly.com/production-weekly-issue-1300-thursday-may-26-2022-177-listings-38-pages/ |archive-date=June 7, 2022 |access-date=June 9, 2022 |website=Production Weekly}} Netflix acquired distribution rights the next year in March, making it the second Spy Kids project produced for the platform, while David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, Racer Max (Rodriguez's son), and Elizabeth Avellán (Rodriguez's ex-wife) joined as producers.{{cite web |last1=Grobar |first1=Matt |title='Spy Kids' Franchise Reimagining In Works At Netflix; Robert Rodriguez Returning To Mount Next Film For Skydance, Spyglass |url=https://deadline.com/2022/03/spy-kids-reimagining-in-works-robert-rodriguez-directing-for-netflix-1234990843/ |website=Deadline |access-date=March 30, 2022 |date=March 30, 2022}}

The title was revealed to be Spy Kids: Armageddon, which was the original name for the previous film installment, Spy Kids: All the Time in the World (2011).{{Cite web |date=May 25, 2022 |title=Production Weekly – Issue 1300 – Thursday, May 26, 2022 / 17 Listings – 38 Pages |url=https://www.productionweekly.com/production-weekly-issue-1300-thursday-may-26-2022-177-listings-38-pages/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220607174914/https://www.productionweekly.com/production-weekly-issue-1300-thursday-may-26-2022-177-listings-38-pages/ |archive-date=June 7, 2022 |access-date=June 9, 2022 |website=Production Weekly}} Along with the announcement of Max co-writing, and Rodriguez producing, the film's cast was revealed in the summer of 2022: Gina Rodriguez, Zachary Levi, Everly Carganilla, Connor Esterson, Billy Magnussen and D. J. Cotrona.{{cite web |last1=Kroll |first1=Justin |date=June 23, 2022 |title='Spy Kids': Gina Rodriguez, Zachary Levi, Everly Carganilla And Connor Esterson Starring In Reboot For Netflix, Skydance And Spyglass |url=https://deadline.com/2022/06/spy-kids-gina-rodriguez-zachary-levi-netflix-and-skydance-1235050398/ |access-date=June 23, 2022 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}{{cite web |last1=Cordero |first1=Rosy |date=July 23, 2022 |title='Spy Kids': Billy Magnussen Joins Netflix Reboot |url=https://deadline.com/2022/07/spy-kids-billy-magnussen-netflix-reboot-1235073989/ |access-date=July 24, 2022 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}{{cite web |last1=Kroll |first1=Justin |date=August 8, 2022 |title='Spy Kids': DJ Cotrona Joins Next Installment For Netflix, Skydance And Spyglass |url=https://deadline.com/2022/08/spy-kids-dj-cotrona-netflix-1235087490/ |access-date=September 12, 2022 |website=Deadline Hollywood}} Production wrapped in late August that same year.{{Cite web |last=Rodriguez |first=Robert |date=August 31, 2022 |title=Just wrapped a new SPYkids for @Netflix, working with my son Racer Max! First foto is from the set of SPYkids 2 in 2002. Not much has changed, only now he's co-writer, co-producer, and a little heavier. |url=https://twitter.com/rodriguez/status/1565051810901069824 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220831190334/https://twitter.com/Rodriguez/status/1565051810901069824 |archive-date=August 31, 2022 |access-date=2022-09-15 |website=Twitter |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Robert Rodriguez on Instagram: "Just wrapped a new SPYkids for @Netflix, working with my son Racer Max! First foto is from the set of SPYkids 2 in 2002. Not much has changed, only now he's co-writer, co-producer, and a little heavier". |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/Ch71CW9OCrg/ |access-date=2022-09-15 |website=Instagram |language=en}}{{cite web | url=https://collider.com/spy-kids-reboot-production-wrap/ | title='Spy Kids' Reboot Has Wrapped Production | website=Collider | date=2 September 2022}}

Release

Spy Kids: Armageddon was released in the United States on Netflix on September 22, 2023.{{cite web | url=https://collider.com/spy-kids-armageddon-release-window-robert-rodriguez-comments/ | title=Robert Rodriguez Hints at 'Spy Kids: Armageddon's Release Window | website=Collider | date=May 9, 2023}}

Reception

{{Rotten Tomatoes prose|54|5.2|35|Spy Kids: Armageddon offers solidly diverting action for younger viewers, even if it's starting to feel like this franchise has run out of reasons to continue.|access-date={{RT data|access date}}}}{{cite Rotten Tomatoes|type=m|id=spy_kids_armageddon|title=Spy Kids: Armageddon|access-date=September 23, 2023|publisher_hide=y}}{{cbignore}} {{Metacritic film prose|55|10|access-date=25 September 2023}}{{Cite Metacritic|id=spy-kids-armageddon|title=Spy Kids: Armageddon|type=movie|access-date=September 22, 2023|publisher_hide=y}}{{cbignore}}

Samantha Bergeson of IndieWire says it "will certainly appeal to kids today, the kind that fall into the pre-tween age group who still dream about joining the CIA. As spy boss Devlin says at the end of the film, it’s simply onto the next mission for the Spy Kids family. Will that sequel rival Spy Kids 2? Stay tuned."{{Cite web |last=Bergeson |first=Samantha |date=2023-09-22 |title='Spy Kids: Armageddon' Review: Robert Rodriguez's Beloved Franchise Targets a New Generation |url=https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/spy-kids-armageddon-review-netflix-1234907306/ |access-date=2023-09-26 |website=IndieWire |language=en-US}} Maggie Lovitt of Collider says it "may never be the generation-defining cult classic that its predecessors were, but it is still a long-overdue return to an unparalleled universe. In Rodriguez’s world, hopepunk rules, and very few storytellers feel compelled to tell stories where there’s unwavering optimism and hope for the future."{{Cite web |last=Lovitt |first=Maggie |date=2023-09-22 |title='Spy Kids: Armageddon' Review: Robert Rodriguez's Beloved Franchise Returns |url=https://collider.com/spy-kids-armageddon-review/ |access-date=2023-09-26 |website=Collider |language=en}}