DJ Cotrona Joins Cast of Netflix's Upcoming 'Spy Kids' Reboot

DJ Cotrona is set to reunite with director Robert Rodriguez in Netflix’s upcoming Spy Kids reboot, Deadline reports. The two had previously worked together on the television adaptation of From Dusk Till Dawn. The actor joins Gina Rodriguez, Zachary Levi, Billy Magnussen, Everly Carganilla, and Connor Esterson.

Spy Kids is a family action-comedy that follows the Cortez family. Created by Rodriguez, it features several Latino themes, putting a fresh spin on the spy genre. The first film follows the brother and sister duo, Carmen and Juni, as they discover their parents are spies called back from a ten-year retirement. After their parents are captured, the children must develop their spying skills to rescue them.

The second installment of the franchise, Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams, finds Juni and Carmen as members of the OSS. Things don’t last, though, as Juni is fired thanks to shenanigans from the Giggles siblings. After hearing of their plan to take over the world with the transmooker device, they must stop them and get Juni back his membership. The third installment finds Juni saving Carmen from a video game gone bad, and marks the end of the Cortez-focused storyline. In 2011, a sequel was released that followed a retired spy Marissa (Jessica Alba) and her stepchildren as they stop The Timekeeper from taking over the world.

This upcoming installment will follow the children of the world’s greatest spies as they unknowingly help a maniacal mastermind release a computer virus that gives him the power over all technology. The kids must team up and save their parents and the world.

Rodriguez is set to return as the director of the film and will also serve as writer and producer. Racer Max serves as co-writer. David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Don Granger will serve as producers for Skydance, which is in charge of the overall production. Elizabeth Avellan and Max will also serve as producers. Executive producers include Gary Barber and Peter Oillataguerre from Spyglass. Netflix’s creative lead for the project will be Nick Nesbit.

Other projects Rodriguez is known for include the Disney+ original Star Wars series, The Book of Boba Fett, where he served as director and executive producer. He has also done directorial work for Disney+’s The Mandalorian series. His filmography covers a wide range of genres, which include entries in successful film franchises such as the Predator film series and the Mexico trilogy, which includes Once Upon a Time in Mexico. His other works include Sin City, Machete, Bedhead, Desperado, and more. Rodriguez’s creativity in film has been recognized by several award organizations, including Sundance, Satellite Awards, and even the Grammy Awards.

Collider had the opportunity to speak with Rodriguez about his classic Spy Kids film series and the push for on-screen Latinx representation. The full interview can be watched in the video below: