Naman Shrestha
Directed by Robert Rodriguez, ‘Spy Kids: Armageddon’ is the fifth entry in the ‘Spy Kids’ franchise and perpetuates the magic and grandiosity that made the first installment of the iconic spy action movie series a hit upon its release in 2001 and led to the spawning of a popular kid-centric spy franchise. The modern-day Netflix reboot introduces the adventures in the life of a new family comprising super-spies Nora Torrez and Terrence Tango and their kids Patty and Tony, who love playing video games. Being the children of such quick-witted parents, they have inculcated skills that usually aid them in being a step ahead of the problems, especially if they are related to their mother and father.
Terrence and Nora are safeguarding the Armageddon code that possesses the ability to hack into any technology in the world. So far, they’ve managed to hide their true professional identities from their kids. However, Tony and Patty learn about the same when a power-hungry video game developer, Rey Kingston AKA The King (son of the creator of the code), gets his hand on the code and unleashes the villains from the duo’s favorite game, Hyskor, into the real world. When the sibling duo realizes the robots are coming to life and threatening the security of their parents, they take matters into their own hands to save their mother and father, as well as the world.
Apart from the compelling performances by the cast, comprising Gina Rodriguez, Zachary Levi, Connor Esterson, and Everly Carganilla, and an impressive storyline that touches upon the multicultural familial bond between the Tango-Torrezes, the comedy movie also garnered praises for its visual aesthetic, ornamented by the futuristic set-pieces and advanced tech devices, leading many to wonder where exactly it was filmed.
Spy Kids: Armageddon Was Shot in Texas
‘Spy Kids: Armageddon’ was filmed entirely in Texas, particularly in and around Greater Austin. To maintain the authenticity of the locales in the setting, the filming unit decided to shoot on location. The production of the action-packed movie commenced in the Summer of 2022 and carried on for a few weeks before reportedly concluding in the first week of September of the same year. Now, without further ado, let’s delve in and find out where exactly was the Robert Rodriguez directorial filmed!
Greater Austin, Texas
For the purpose of filming, the production team of ‘Spy Kids: Armageddon’ moved to Austin, the capital city of Texas. Located in Travis County, several areas of the inland city served as the filming site for the spy film. A few establishing shots of the City of the Violet Crown were taped to showcase the skyline and gorgeous cityscape. The chase sequence between Patty and Tony and the axe-wielding skeletons on bikes was captured on the tree-lined Congress Avenue, with the Texas Capitol visible in the backdrop.
Known for its eco-conscious urban design, the neighborhood of Mueller, located off Interstate 35 in the northeastern part of the city, also served as one of the filming sites for the film. In particular, the crew reportedly shot a few scenes at the Mary Elizabeth Branch Park on the northern edge of Aldrich Street in the Mueller community. Additional shooting likely took place in a neighborhood in Round Rock, located 15 miles north of Austin.
As per reports, the cast and crew also moved 30 miles west of Austin to shoot a few scenes in Krause Springs, an iconic camping and swimming site in the idyllic small town of Spicewood located in the center of the Texas Hill Country. Apart from that, a property in the neighborhood of West Lake Hills AKA Westlake, which is a suburb of Austin, doubled up as a shooting site for the Zachary Levi starrer.
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The scenes featuring the futuristic set and other technological marvels as well as CGI were shot at Troublemaker Studios on 4900 Old Manor Road. Interestingly, the production facility is founded and owned by the film’s director Robert Rodriguez alongside famous producer Elizabeth Avellán.
Read More: Where Was Spy Kids 4 Filmed?
