The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl
A 2005 3D superhero film about dreams and imagination.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl (marketed as The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D) is a 2005 American 3D superhero film co-written, edited, shot, and directed by Robert Rodriguez. It stars Taylor Lautner, Taylor Dooley, Cayden Boyd, David Arquette, Kristin Davis, and George Lopez. The film follows ten-year-old Max, whose dreamed-up superheroes Sharkboy and Lavagirl take him to Planet Drool to stop Mr. Electric and Minus from controlling the world with darkness. Many concepts were conceived by Rodriguez's children, notably Racer Max.
- release_date
- June 10, 2005 (United States)
- director
- Robert Rodriguez
- budget
- $50 million
- box_office
- $72 million
- genre
- 3D superhero film
- production_companies
- Dimension Films, Columbia Pictures, Troublemaker Studios
Lore & Background
The film centers on Max, a lonely ten-year-old in suburban Austin who dreams up Planet Drool and records his dreams in a journal. His creations include Sharkboy and Lavagirl. After a bully steals and vandalizes his journal, the superheroes appear in his classroom and take him to Planet Drool, where they must stop Mr. Electric and Minus from spreading darkness. The story was largely conceived by Robert Rodriguez's children, especially Racer Max. The film uses anaglyph 3D technology similar to that in Rodriguez's Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003).
Reader's Guide
The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl received generally negative reviews from critics and was a box office disappointment, grossing $72 million against a $50 million budget. However, it has since garnered a cult following. A sequel, We Can Be Heroes, was released in 2020. The film is noted for its heavy use of green screen and digital effects, with eleven visual effects companies contributing over 1,000 shots. Robert Rodriguez appears in the credits fourteen times, including as director, producer, screenwriter, and composer. The film's legacy includes its influence on later family-oriented superhero films and its enduring appeal among fans of early 2000s 3D cinema.
Did You Know?
- Taylor Lautner's martial arts skills helped him obtain the role of Sharkboy; he choreographed his own fight scenes.
- Miley Cyrus auditioned for the film but began production on Hannah Montana, and Taylor Dooley got the role.
- George Lopez played four roles: Mr. Electricidad, Mr. Electric, the voice of Tobor, and the voice of the Ice King.
- The film uses anaglyph 3D technology, similar to that used in Robert Rodriguez's Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003).
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