Created by Robert Rodriguez, Spy Kids is a media franchise centered around spy action-comedy movies. The plot follows children who, after discovering that their parents are spies, become involved in an espionage organization when the elders go missing. The 2000s kids movie, Spy Kids was highly influenced by the elements of James Bond, had Hispanic themes and over the years became one of the most beloved movies for children.
The media franchise consists of five movies, with 2023’s Spy Kids: Armageddon being the very recent one. The franchise also includes an animated series, Spy Kids: Mission Critical, which premiered in 2018 on Netflix. The original movie that came out in 2001 has secured a very special record under its name.
2000s kids movie; Spy Kids inducted into the National Film Registry
According to reports by THR, the National Film Registry has selected 2001’s Spy Kids, directed by Robert Rodriguez and starring Alexa Vega, Daryl Sabara, Danny Trejo, and more for preservation. Spy Kids join movies including The Social Network, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Dirty Dancing, Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan, and more to be preserved.
The Librarian of Congress annually recognizes about 25 motion pictures that are about 10 years old and registers them as ‘culturally, historically, or aesthetically’ significant. Reports have suggested that about 6,700 titles were submitted by the public for consideration, and among those thousands of titles, 25 were selected.
With the addition of these recently announced 25 movies, the number of movies registered for preservation reaches 900 among the 2 million movies that is in the library’s collection. Other movies are preserved in coordination with copyright holders or other film archives. Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden shared with Variety,
Films reflect our nation’s history and culture and must be preserved in our national library for generations to come. This is a collective effort in the film community to preserve our cinematic heritage.
Jacqueline Stewart, Chair of the National Film Preservation Board, shared with the publication that people often wonder how they recommend a movie. She explained that after a lot of research, conversation, and discussion, and through a commitment to showing the true diversity of filmmaking.
Spy Kids star Carla Gugino talks about her casting as a mom
Actress Carla Gugino played the role of Ingrid Cortes in 2001’s Spy Kids, which in an interview with BuzzFeed she shared was physically totally impossible for her to do. She mentioned that she was 27 years old when she played the role, and to her, the role didn’t add up. The actress explained,
It is so funny because I was 27. It was a really beautiful kind of double-edged sword because I love that movie so much. And the whole experience was so incredible, and the movies continued.
Gugino, however, added that she was maybe ten years younger for the role because she was a spy for ten years and then somehow had children who were like 9 and 11.
The actress shared that she was not even on the initial casting list of Spy Kids, but she was sitting with the writer-director Robert Rodriguez, and he told her that he had been looking for a mother for the kids. He assured Gugino that if they do their jobs perfectly, no one will ever question it.
Upon release, the movie was a success and grossed over $150 million worldwide on a budget of $35 million. The success of the movie allowed the director to launch a franchise. Spy Kids: All the Time in the World and Spy Kids: Armageddon had a new cast.
Spy Kids is available to stream on Apple TV on VOD.
Frequently asked questions
Which early 2000s kids movie was added to the National Film Registry?
It is Spy Kids, the 2001 family spy-adventure written and directed by Robert Rodriguez for Dimension Films. As the article reports, it was selected for the Library of Congress’s National Film Registry as a culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant work, named among the 25 titles chosen that year from roughly 6,700 public submissions and bringing the registry to about 900 preserved films.
Who starred in the original Spy Kids and what is it about?
The 2001 film stars Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara as the Cortez children (Carmen and Juni), with Carla Gugino as their mother Ingrid Cortez and Antonio Banderas as their father; Danny Trejo also appears. The story follows two kids who discover their parents are secret agents and must step in when the parents are captured, blending James Bond-style espionage with Hispanic-influenced themes.
How well did Spy Kids do at the box office and how big is the franchise?
The original was a hit, reportedly grossing around $148 million worldwide against a roughly $35 million budget. It grew into a franchise of five films, the most recent being 2023’s Spy Kids: Armageddon, and also spawned the animated series Spy Kids: Mission Critical, which premiered on Netflix in 2018.
