Image Credit: Rico Torres
This summer, Spy Kids 4: All The Time In The World audiences will be treated to a fragrant new dimension during their cinematic experiences: smell. According to Dimension Films, the Aug. 19 reboot of Robert Rodriguez’s blockbuster kiddie series will be released with in ’4D’ – that is, with Aromascope olfactory enhancements. I can only hope this means the fourth Spy Kids movie finds junior spies Rebecca (Rowan Blanchard) and Cecil (Mason Cook) rescuing their loved ones from the clutches of an evil Italian restaurant owner and/or pastry chef. (No? The enemy is just a warlord? Fine.)
According to a press release from Dimension, each ticket sold will come with a Scratch ‘n Sniff-type scent card with eight numbered scents. The corresponding numbers will then be projected onscreen during the movie, letting viewers know when and what to, well, scratch and sniff. Is your inner 7-year-old giddy with anticipation? Mine, too.
In the release, director Rodriguez says: “Families are going to love the interactivity of this new addition to the movie going experience. And best of all, you won’t have to pay extra for 4D Aromascope, which will be provided to every theater whether it be 2D or 3D.” All scents included in the price of the movie ticket – just imagine what kind of box-office boon this have been for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Or Julie & Julia.
In 2003, Spy Kids 3D: Game Over implemented the 3-D format and reeled in nearly $200 million worldwide. Will the studio’s upping the ante also up the opening weekend figures? The kid-friendly innovation is certainly a bold move by the studio. What do you think, PopWatchers? Will Spy Kids 4: All The Time In The World be greeted by the sweet perfume of success or the stench of failure?
Read more:
‘Spy Kids 4′ trailer: Jessica Alba and Joel McHale in… 4-D?
That…is…stupid.
Scratch and sniff? Seems like an awful idea. I can imagine all the noise- with people rearranging their snacks to get the scent cards, finding coins to use to scratch- and then all that scratching and sniffing. No thanks for me. Not that I had any intention of seeing that movie.
Seems like a good idea but I’m going to guess that it will not be.
A) you don’t need coins with modern scratch n sniff. Just a swipe of the finger
B) It’s a kids’ movie. If people scratching a card all at the same time is the loudest audience noise you have to put up with, consider yourself lucky.
Its for kids! Rugrats did it when I was a kid and I loved it then
This isn’t exactly original. A bunch of animated films based off of Nickelodeon cartoons did the same thing in the late 90′s.
John Waters did it first in 1981.
bombs away, 4 movies too many
While I applaud the effort, this, to me, simply says that the movie can’t stand on its own, so they need a gimmick to try to sell it.
Stupid, but no stupider than the 3D gimmick.
wow, what a dumb idea…
Movie studios need to stop ruining my childhood memories.
Well my kids have been waiting for confirmation on what the 4D was since they saw the first trailer. If they’re any indication this has already worked. I think it’ll be one of those ideas that works better I’n conversation than in reality. As stated above it’ll be mini chaos at scratch time but it will make a great interactive experience for the kids. I’m sure it’ll work as intended.
Does this vaugely remind anyone else of Brave New World?
This is nothing new. They did it in the seventies and it was called “odorama”. And it was mainly used in midnight movies and trash flicks like John Waters movies including “Pink flamingos. So that means the new spy kids is trash.
Correction. It was actually used in “Polyester”
Ah, yes. The dreaded “Number 7″ on the Odorama card.
all the Spy Kids movies have been trash.
Waters’ movies aren’t & weren’t trash.
I thought one of the Rugrats movies did this back when I was a kid in the 90′s.
Oh, I remember! That very movie actually came out in 2003.
wasnt it the one where they met the wild thornberry’s on the deserted island??
Rugrats Go Wild!! i was just thinking about the scratch in sniff for that yesterday! they had a peanut butter one! i was slightly obsessed with Rugrats
Just you wait. Soon every home will have a smellevision.
I thought maybe they came up with a way to blow different scents into the theatre during the movie. That would be way cooler. Although as a child of the 80s I find it hard not to love scratch n sniff.
This is pathetic! And they call this technology? A scratch card? They could’ve done this 50 years ago! Hey, I won’t be going to any movies with fart jokes, that’s for sure!
I love to scratch & sniff my girlfriend.
OK, when I first saw the 4D in the trailer I thought it would be those motion seats, so I find it silly that its scratch and sniff, which is incredibly stupid.