Why Josh Gad's Honey, I Shrunk The Kids Sequel Was Canceled

The original "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" debuted back in the summer of 1989 and immediately became Disney's most successful live-action film up to that point (a record it held onto for five years). It was also the perfect vehicle for comedian Rick Moranis, casting the "Ghostbusters" actor as Wayne Szalinski — a bumbling scientist who accidentally shrinks his teenage son and daughter along with the neighborhood hunk and the bully next door. After Dad accidentally takes them out with the trash, the kids must try and survive in their backyard as they battle now-impossibly giant obstacles like insects, sprinklers, and (most terrifying of all) lawn mowers. 

Featuring incredible visual effects for the time, the adventure comedy spawned two sequels: "Honey, I Blew Up the Kid" and the largely forgettable direct-to-video "Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves." After a short-lived television show starring Peter Scolari followed from 1997 to 2000, it seemed like that might be the end of the road for the kid-friendly franchise.

In May of 2019, however, Walt Disney Pictures began developing a reboot/sequel, with Josh Gad set to star as Moranis' now grown-up son Nick Szalinski (who had miraculously survived the previous films). Set three decades after the original, the new film was titled "Shrunk" and would've seen Gad's character continuing the Szalinski family tradition by accidentally shrinking his own kids. "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" helmer Joe Johnston was also set to direct "Shrunk," drawing from a script by Todd Rosenberg. Unfortunately, production on "Shrunk" was just about to get underway when COVID-19 hit, putting the entire project in a state of flux. For a while, it looked like the movie would still get made — but alas, a recent update from Gad has dashed the hopes of fans hoping for a hit of nostalgia.

When "Shrunk" was first announced, it was unclear whether any of the original "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" cast would return for the film. It then came to light that Rick Moranis would indeed co-star as Wayne Szalinski after a nearly 25 year hiatus from acting, generating a whole lot of buzz in the process. Sadly, according to Josh Gad, that was before the film hit a string of setbacks. He explained on Twitter:

"A lot of [you] ask me what's going on with this film. Truth is, we were inches from starting and then COVID hit, inches from starting again [and] then my schedule exploded with conflicts, inches from starting again [and] budget got the best of us."

A lot of u ask me what's going on with this film. Truth is, we were inches from starting and then COVID hit, inches from starting again & then my schedule exploded with conflicts, inches from starting again & budget got the best of us. If you want it, let your local @disney know. pic.twitter.com/H5l24DQyoU

— Josh Gad (@joshgad) June 26, 2023

Having said that, Gad refrained from ruling out the possibility that, with enough fan support, the House of Mouse could potentially revisit "Shrunk" as a Disney+ exclusive or perhaps even a full-blown theatrical release. "If you want it, let your local @disney know," he added, dropping an unofficial poster for the film credited to artist BossLogic.

During the 2020 lockdowns, Gad hosted several reunion episodes on his YouTube channel for classic '80s films like "Ghostbusters," "Karate Kid," and "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." A child of the '80s himself, the actor has a clear affinity and reverence for these movies, making it all the more unfortunate that we'll probably never get to see him play in the "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids"-verse. "Shrunk" would undoubtedly require a substantial budget to account for the large amount of CGI effects required to help sell the world. Still, if the film's creatives can find a way to simplify the story (and if fans scream loud enough), then maybe — just maybe — "Shrunk" still has a shot at happening. Fingers crossed.