Movies

'We Can Be Heroes' Sequel From Robert Rodriguez Greenlit By Netflix

we can be heroes sequel
By Hoai-Tran Bui

Over the holiday, around 44 million households tuned into Robert Rodriguez's We Can be Heroes, making the new family superhero movie one of Netflix's biggest hits. And all those parents who plopped their kids in front of the spiritual sequel to Rodriguez's Sharkboy and Lavagirl for just two hours of peace and quiet can look forward to another kid-friendly sequel from the filmmaker. Yes, We Can Be Heroes is getting a sequel.

Netflix announced Monday that a We Can Be Heroes sequel is already in development from writer-director Robert Rodriguez, following the family film's stellar debut, which saw it become the streamer's biggest holiday hit.

According to the streamer, 44 million households viewed We Can Be Heroes in the movie's first days on the service, shattering Netflix's records for Christmas week — the period from December 25 to December 31. You can imagine all the tired parents, who just wanted a little bit of respite from their over-caffeinated kids, either rejoicing or groaning at this news (depending on how many times their little tykes rewatched We Can Be Heroes).

But you know, Rodriguez may be on to something. I always enjoy when a filmmaker known for violent, gritty fare ventures over to the family-friendly side and churns out a couple of bangers. As part of the generation that grew up on Spy Kids, I have an affection on Rodriguez's dedication to the family-friendly action flick, and appreciate that he's keeping it going for the generations long after me.

We Can Be Heroes saw the return of Taylor Dooley as Lava Girl and JJ Dashnaw taking over as Sharkboy, with a host of parental superheroes played by Pedro Pascal, Christian Slater, Boyd Holbrook, and a villain played by Priyanka Chopra Jonas.Yaya Gosselin stars as the young leader of these super powered kids, each with their own unique abilities, which include super elasticity, manipulating time, seeing the future, and of course, shark strength. The rest of the cast includes Vivien Lyra Blair, Isaiah Russell-Bailey, Akira Akbar, Lyon Daniels, Nathan Blair, Lotus Blossom, Hala Finley, Andy Walken, Dylan Henry Lau, Andrew Diaz, Sung Kang, Haley Reinhart, J. Quinton Johnson, Brittany Perry-Russell, and Brently Heilbron. There's no news on whether the entire cast will reprise their roles in the sequel.

When alien invaders kidnap Earth's superheroes, their kids are whisked away to a government safe house. But whip-smart tween Missy Moreno (Yaya Gosselin) will stop at nothing to rescue her superhero dad, Marcus Moreno (Pedro Pascal). Missy teams up with the rest of the superkids to escape their mysterious government babysitter, Ms. Granada (Priyanka Chopra Jonas). If they're going to save their parents, they'll have to work together by using their individual powers — from elasticity to time control to predicting the future — and form an out-of-this-world team.
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