'Spy Kids 4' sends post production to Michigan

Want to know Robert Rodriguez's reaction to the Texas Film Commission denying incentives to Machete? Read this from The Detroit News:

Spy Kids 4 has been approved for post-production work in Michigan and has qualified for the Michigan film incentives, the Michigan Film Office announced today.

The film, which already has been shot, will be converted from 2-D to 3-D at Speedshape, a post-production facility in Birmingham. The Film Office reported that around $4.5 million will be spent on the process, and the production will receive around $1.8 million in tax credits.

Yes, Spy Kids 4 is now in production

How do I know it's Spy Kids 4's time before the camera? Third Coast Extras wants twins or triplets to play "Jessica's daughter" this Friday. The baby must be 24 inches long, appear to be 10 months old and have an olive complextion. Who is Jessica? MTV says that would be a certain Jessica Alba whose diaper changing on the set of Machete apparently inspired Mr. R.

Interesting other hints as to cast with this casting calls for stand-ins: "brunette Caucasian male who is between 6'3" and 6'5" tall with a slim to medium build" and "female African American that is in between 5'3-5'5 around 120 lbs." I'm guessing Rosario Dawson on the later. Anyone have any guesses?

Here's one more: "An African-American male around 6'2ish. Short to no hair is preferable." It's like a puzzle on film! (My guess is Samuel Jackson is in the house...)

Robert Rodriguez is, as ever, fairly quiet about his Austin-shot productions, but this one is very clearly in action.

'Spy Kids 4' is in production?

I'm used to the secretiveness of the Robert Rodriguez camp (I even had to sign one of those ubiquitous confidentiality agreements when my nephew was an extra in the first Spy Kids), but it's always surprising how quiet the ramp up of production of a new film is. Here's a little hint from The Hollywood Reporter that the production of Spy Kids 4 is under way for the Weinstein Company with a release date set for August 2011. (IMDB.com lists the complete title as Spy Kids 4: Armageddon.) I know that casting has been active. Anyone know anything else?

Here's what Rodriguez told me in May:

Rodriguez said the “Spy Kids” reboot is for the Weinstein Co. and will include new child secret agents with actors — whom he did not identify — already in line to play the roles.

“I thought it could be good to reboot my own series,” he said. “That's my most loyal audience — not the film geeks, but the kids.”

The film's script already has been turned in.

“The Spy Kids Division has been closed down seven years ago,” Rodriguez said. “We will see some of the characters from the previous films.”

Robert Rodriguez's next film? Spy Kids 4

While at the South By Southwest Film Festival pimping Predators, which he produced, Nimrod Antal (on the left in the photo) directed and Adrien Brody starred in, Robert Rodriguez let slip his next project--Spy Kids 4. It will feature a new set of kids who are already cast, though Rodriguez said some stars of the first three movies may drop in.