Even in this age of superhero cinematic universes, it’s fair to say that none of us expected Sharkboy and Lavagirl to return to our screens but, what do you know, that’s what’s happening this New Year’s Days. Robert Rodriguez directed family movie The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lava Girl in 3-D back in 2005 and on January 1st – more than 15 years later – it’ll be getting a sequel/spinoff.
Netflix‘s We Can Be Heroes focuses on a bunch of superhero kids, including the offspring of the aforementioned twosome. Taylor Dooley returns to reprise her role as the now grown-up Lavagirl, but unfortunately, Taylor Lautner wasn’t available to come back as Sharkboy, due to the Twilight star stepping away from acting in recent years, and so the role was recast with J.J. Dashnaw standing in for him. Sharkboy’s costume now has a helmet to hide Lautner’s absence as well.
To make up for losing him, though, the cast is full of familiar faces, including Priyanka Chopra, Pedro Pascal, Christian Slater and Boyd Holbrook. Of course, anyone who’s seen Rodriguez’s family films knows what we’re in for here, with the synopsis for We Can Be Heroes teasing a plot that’s reminiscent of Disney flick Sky High, as you can see below:
“Years after their adventures as children, Sharkboy, and Lavagirl are now grown-up, and apart of Earth’s mightiest heroes. But when alien invaders defeat the heroes of Earth and kidnap them, it’s up to the children of the heroes to learn how to work together if they stand a chance of saving their parents, and thus the world.”
Though those that grew up with the pic might fondly remember it, The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl isn’t generally seen as one of the gems of Rodriguez’s back catalogue, sporting a mere 19% on Rotten Tomatoes. We’re pretty sure most of the director’s fans would prefer a sequel to Alita: Battle Angel or even another Spy Kids, but hey, this is the follow-up the filmmaker was burning to make.
Make sure you catch We Can Be Heroes on Netflix from January 1st, 2021.
