Editing Robert Rodriguez

{{Short description|American filmmaker (born 1968)}}
{{Other people}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Robert Rodriguez
| image              = Robert Rodriguez SDCC 2014.jpg
| caption            = Rodriguez in 2014
| birth_name         = Robert Anthony Rodriguez
| birth_date         = {{Birth date and age|1968|6|20}}
| birth_place        = [[San Antonio]], Texas, U.S.
| alma_mater         = [[University of Texas at Austin]]
| occupation         = {{hlist|Film director|producer|screenwriter|cinematographer|visual effects supervisor|composer|film editor|actor}}
| years_active       = 1991–present
| spouse             = {{marriage|[[Elizabeth Avellán]]|1991-2006|end=separated}}
| children           = 5
| works              = [[Robert Rodriguez filmography|Full list]]
| relatives          = [[Patricia Vonne]] (sister)<br/>[[Danny Trejo]] (second cousin)
| website            = [http://www.troublemakerstudios.com/ Troublemaker Studios]
| signature          = Robert Rodriguez signature.svg
| imagesize          = 
}}

'''Robert Anthony Rodriguez''' ({{IPAc-en|r|ɒ|ˈ|d|r|iː|ɡ|ɛ|z}} {{respell|ro|DREE|ghez}}; born June 20, 1968)<ref>{{cite news|title=Monitor|newspaper=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=June 21, 2013|issue=1264|pages=26}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|first= Cathy |last=Booth Thomas |url=http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1093629,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050908173607/http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1093629,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 8, 2005 |title=Robert Rodriguez – TIME |magazine=TIME |date=August 13, 2005 |access-date=April 24, 2009}}</ref> is an American filmmaker, composer, and visual effects supervisor. He shoots, edits, produces, and scores many of his films in Mexico and in his home state of [[Texas]]. Rodriguez directed the 1992 action film ''[[El Mariachi]]'', which was a commercial success after grossing $2.6 million ($5.5 million in 2023 dollars) against a budget of $7,000 ($14,937 in 2023 dollars). The film spawned two sequels known collectively as the ''[[Mexico Trilogy]]'': ''[[Desperado (film)|Desperado]]'' (1995) and ''[[Once Upon a Time in Mexico]]'' (2003).

Rodriguez directed ''[[From Dusk till Dawn]]'' in 1996 and developed its [[From Dusk till Dawn: The Series|television series adaptation]] (2014–2016).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2013/11/el-reys-from-dusk-till-dawn-rounds-out-cast-636143/|title=El Rey's 'From Dusk Till Dawn' Rounds Out Cast, by THE DEADLINE TEAM|author=The Deadline Team|work=Deadline|date=November 15, 2013 |access-date=November 16, 2014}}</ref> He co-directed the 2005 neo-noir crime thriller anthology ''[[Sin City (film)|Sin City]]'' (adapted from the [[Sin City|graphic novel of the same name]]) and the 2014 sequel, ''[[Sin City: A Dame to Kill For]]''.
He is also the creator of the ''[[Spy Kids]]'' franchise, as well as ''[[The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D]]'' (2005), ''[[Planet Terror]]'' (2007), ''[[Machete (2010 film)|Machete]]'' (2010), ''[[We Can Be Heroes (2020 film)|We Can Be Heroes]]'' (2020), and also directed ''[[The Faculty]]'' (1998) and ''[[Alita: Battle Angel]]'' (2019).

Rodriguez is a close friend and frequent collaborator of filmmaker [[Quentin Tarantino]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez talk 'Grindhouse'|url=https://ew.com/article/2006/06/23/tarantino-and-rodriguez-talk-grind-house/|access-date=July 20, 2021|website=EW.com|language=en}}</ref> who founded the production company [[A Band Apart]], of which Rodriguez was a member. In December 2013, Rodriguez launched his own cable television channel, [[El Rey Network|El Rey]].

==Early life==
Rodriguez was born in [[San Antonio]], Texas, the son of Mexican parents Rebecca (''née'' Villegas), a nurse, and Cecilio G. Rodríguez, a salesman.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/37/Robert-Rodriguez.html |title=Robert Rodriguez Biography (1969?-) |publisher=Filmreference.com |access-date=April 24, 2009}}</ref><ref name=ena>{{cite book|last=Marvis|first=Barbara J.|title=Robert Rodriguez|publisher=Mitchell Lane|year=1998|pages=5|isbn=1883845483}}</ref> He began his interest in film at age eleven, when his father bought one of the first [[VCR]]s, which came with a camera.<ref>[http://www.fridaymoviez.com/celebrity/biography/robert-rodriguez "Robert Rodriguez Biography"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107040651/http://www.fridaymoviez.com/celebrity/biography/robert-rodriguez |date=January 7, 2019 }} Friday Moviez Entertainment Guaranteed</ref>

[[File:Robert Rodriguez 1993 Atlanta Film Festival.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Robert Rodriguez (right) at the 1993 Atlanta Film Festival.]] 
While attending [[St. Anthony Catholic High School (San Antonio, Texas)|St. Anthony High School Seminary]] in San Antonio, Rodriguez was commissioned to videotape the school's football games. According to his sister, he was fired soon afterward as he had shot footage in a cinematic style, getting shots of parents' reactions and the ball traveling through the air instead of shooting the whole play. In high school, he met [[Carlos Gallardo (actor)|Carlos Gallardo]]; they both shot films on video throughout high school and college.

Rodriguez went to the [[University of Texas at Austin College of Communication|College of Communication]] at the [[University of Texas at Austin]], where he also developed a love of cartooning. Not having grades high enough to be accepted into the school's film program, he created a daily comic strip entitled ''Los Hooligans.'' Many of the characters were based on his siblings – in particular, one of his sisters, Maricarmen. The comic ran for three years in the student newspaper ''[[The Daily Texan]]'', while Rodriguez continued to make short films.<ref>{{Cite web|date=March 7, 2014|title=King of Dreams|url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/king-of-dreams/|access-date=December 1, 2020|website=Texas Monthly|language=en}}</ref>

Rodriguez shot action and horror short films on video and edited on two VCRs. In late 1990, his entry in a local film contest earned him a spot in the university's film program. There he made the award-winning 16&nbsp;mm short ''[[Bedhead (film)|Bedhead]]'' (1991). The film chronicles the amusing misadventures of a young girl whose older brother sports an incredibly tangled mess of hair which she detests. Even at this early stage, Rodriguez's trademark style began to emerge: quick cuts, intense zooms, and fast camera movements deployed with a sense of humor.

''Bedhead'' was recognized for excellence in the Black Maria Film Festival. It was selected by Film/Video Curator Sally Berger for the Black Maria 20th-anniversary retrospective at [[MoMA]] in 2006.

==Career==

=== Early career ===
The short film ''Bedhead'' attracted enough attention to encourage him to seriously attempt a career as a filmmaker.<ref>{{cite web  | title = Bedhead (1991)  | publisher = Brian's Robert Rodriguez Page (Geocities) | url = http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Makeup/4303/bedhead.html/index.html  | access-date = August 16, 2007|archive-url=https://archive.today/20091025143613/http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Makeup/4303/bedhead.html/index.html| url-status =dead|archive-date=October 25, 2009}}</ref> He went on to shoot the action flick ''[[El Mariachi]]'' (1992) in Spanish; he shot it for around $7,000 with money raised by his friend Adrian Kano and from payments for his own participation in medical testing studies.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.filmmakermagazine.com/archives/issues/winter1993/film_for_song.php|title=Robert Rodriguez' El Mariachi – Filmmaker Magazine – Winter 1993|website=www.filmmakermagazine.com|date=December 7, 2012 }}</ref> During the process of these medical studies, he met Peter Marquardt, who went on to act in ''El Mariachi''. Rodriguez won the Audience Award for this film at the [[Sundance Film Festival]] in 1993.<ref>[http://history.sundance.org/events/28 1993 Sundance Film Festival] sundance.org</ref> Intended for the Spanish-language low-budget home-video market, the film was "cleaned up" by [[Columbia Pictures]] with post-production work costing several hundred thousand dollars before it was distributed in the United States.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/nov/25/paranormal-activity-box-office-profit | work=The Guardian | location=London | title=Paranormal Activity and the myth of the shoestring shocker | date=November 25, 2009 | access-date=May 1, 2010 | first=Tom | last=Shone}}</ref> Its promotion still advertised it as "the movie made for $7,000". Rodriguez described his experiences making the film in his book ''[[Rebel Without a Crew]]'' (1995).<ref>{{cite book |title=Rebel Without a Crew |author=Robert Rodriguez |author-link=Robert Rodriguez |year=1995 |url=https://archive.org/details/rebelwithoutcrew00rodr |url-access=registration |publisher=[[Dutton Books]], [[Plume (publishing)|Plume]] |location=New York |oclc=155845528 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/rebelwithoutcrew00rodr/page/6 6]–11 |isbn=9780452271876 |access-date=June 13, 2012}}</ref>

=== Mainstream success ===
[[File:Rodriguez and Tarantino, 2007.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Rodriguez and Tarantino in 2007]]
''[[Desperado (film)|Desperado]]'' was a sequel to ''El Mariachi'' that starred [[Antonio Banderas]] and introduced [[Salma Hayek]] to international audiences as her English-language breakthrough role.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dailypress.com/1995/09/01/desperado-burns-up-screen/|title='Desperado' Burns Up Screen|last=Strom|first=Heidi|work=[[Daily Press (Virginia)|Daily Press]]|date=September 1, 1995|access-date=February 4, 2015|archive-date=February 4, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150204145243/http://articles.dailypress.com/1995-09-01/features/9509010132_1_el-mariachi-bucho-robert-rodriguez-s-desperado|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/1995/film/reviews/desperado-2-1200441582/|title=Review: 'Desperado'|last=McCarthy|first=Todd|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=May 25, 1995|access-date=February 4, 2015}}</ref> Rodriguez went on to collaborate with [[Quentin Tarantino]] on the [[vampire]] thriller ''[[From Dusk till Dawn]]'' (also both co-producing its [[From Dusk till Dawn (film series)|two sequels]]), and he wrote, directed, and produced the [[From Dusk till Dawn: The Series|TV series]] for his own cable network, [[El Rey (TV network)|El Rey]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2013/11/el-reys-from-dusk-till-dawn-rounds-out-cast-636143/|title=El Rey's 'From Dusk Till Dawn' Rounds Out Cast|author=The Deadline Team|work=Deadline|date=November 15, 2013 |access-date=November 16, 2014}}</ref> Rodriguez has also worked with [[Kevin Williamson (screenwriter)|Kevin Williamson]], on the sci-fi thriller film ''[[The Faculty]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Goldstein |first=Patrick |title=The Faculty |url=http://www.teako170.com/faculty.html |newspaper=LA Times |access-date=September 29, 2012}}</ref>

Rodriguez, formerly a member of [[Writers Guild of America West]], left and maintained [[financial core]] status in 2001.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wga.org/members/membership-information/wgaw-financial-core-list | title=WGAW Financial Core List }}</ref>

That year, Rodriguez enjoyed his first Hollywood hit with ''[[Spy Kids (film)|Spy Kids]]'', which went on to become a movie franchise. A third "mariachi" film also appeared in late 2003, ''[[Once Upon a Time in Mexico]]'', which completed the [[Mexico Trilogy]] (also called the Mariachi Trilogy). He operates a production company called [[Troublemaker Studios]], formerly Los Hooligans Productions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.robert-rodriguez.info/robert-rodriguez-biography-short/|title=The Robert Rodriguez Archives|date=October 6, 2014 }}</ref>

Rodriguez  co-directed ''[[Sin City (film)|Sin City]]'' (2005), an adaptation of [[Sin City|the comic books]] by [[Frank Miller]]; Quentin Tarantino guest-directed a scene. During production in 2004, Rodriguez insisted Miller be credited as co-director, because he considered the visual style of Miller's comic art to be just as important as his own in the film. However, the [[Directors Guild of America]] would not allow it, citing that only "legitimate teams", ''e.g.'', [[the Wachowskis]], could share the director's credit. Rodriguez chose to resign from the DGA, stating, "It was easier for me to quietly resign before shooting because otherwise I'd be forced to make compromises I was unwilling to make or set a precedent that might hurt the guild later on." By resigning from the DGA, Rodriguez was forced to relinquish his director's seat on the film ''[[John Carter of Mars (film)|John Carter of Mars]]'' for [[Paramount Pictures]]. Rodriguez had already signed on and had been announced as director of that film, planning to begin filming soon after completing ''Sin City''.<ref>{{cite book|last=Hughes |first=David |title=The Greatest Science Fiction Movies Never Made |publisher=[[Titan Books]] |date=2008 |pages=311–22 |isbn=978-1-84576-755-6}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Drew |last=McWeeny |title=Holy Crap!! Rodriguez Just Can't Stop!! First SIN CITY, And Now ... PRINCESS OF MARS!!! |work=[[Ain't It Cool News]] |date=March 2, 2004 |url=https://www.aintitcool.com/node/17099 |access-date=December 26, 2011}}</ref>

''Sin City'' was a critical hit in 2005 as well as a box office success, particularly for a hyperviolent comic book adaptation that did not have name recognition comparable to the ''[[X-Men (film)|X-Men]]'' or ''[[Spider-Man (2002 film)|Spider-Man]]''. He has an interest in adapting all of Miller's ''Sin City'' comic books.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.latina.com/entertainment/celebrity/robert-rodriguez-walking-alexa-vega-down-aisle|title=Robert Rodriguez Is Walking Alexa Vega Down the Aisle|work=LATINA|access-date=December 6, 2017|language=en}}</ref>

Rodriguez released ''[[The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl]]'' in 2005, a superhero-kid movie intended for the same younger audiences as his ''Spy Kids'' series. ''Sharkboy and Lavagirl'' was based on a story conceived by Rodriguez's 7-year-old son, Racer, who was given credit for the screenplay. The film grossed over $69&nbsp;million worldwide at the box office.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Adventures-of-Sharkboy-and-Lavagirl-in-3-D-The#tab=summary|title=The Numbers: Where Data and the Movies Meet}}</ref>

Rodriguez wrote and directed the film ''[[Planet Terror]]'' as part of the double-bill release ''[[Grindhouse (film)|Grindhouse]]'' (2007). Quentin Tarantino directed ''Grindhouse'''s other film.

He has a series of "Ten Minute Film School" segments on several of his DVD releases, showing aspiring filmmakers how to make good, profitable movies using inexpensive tactics. Starting with the ''[[Once Upon a Time in Mexico]]'' DVD, Rodriguez began creating a series called "Ten Minute Cooking School" in which he revealed his recipe for "Puerco Pibil" (based on [[Cochinita pibil]], an old dish from [[Yucatán Peninsula|Yucatán]]), the same food [[Johnny Depp]]'s character, Agent Sands, ate in the film. The popularity of this series led to the inclusion of another "Cooking School" on the two-disc version of the ''Sin City'' DVD where Rodriguez teaches the viewer how to make "Sin City Breakfast Tacos", a dish (made for his cast and crew during late-night shoots and editing sessions) utilizing his grandmother's tortilla recipe and different egg mixes for the filling. He had initially planned to release a third "Cooking School" with the DVD release of ''[[Planet Terror]]'' but then announced on the "Film School" segment of the DVD that he would put it on the ''[[Grindhouse (film)|Grindhouse]]'' DVD set instead. The Cooking School, titled "Texas Barbecue...from the GRAVE!", is a dish based on the "secret barbecue recipe" of JT Hague, [[Jeff Fahey]]'s character in the film.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.slashfilm.com/2007/04/03/grindhouse-dvd-details-revealed|title=Grindhouse DVD Details Revealed|publisher=/Film|access-date=October 9, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080706223001/http://www.slashfilm.com/2007/04/03/grindhouse-dvd-details-revealed/|archive-date=July 6, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Rodriguez is a strong supporter of [[digital cinematography|digital filmmaking]], having been introduced to the practice by director [[George Lucas]], who personally invited Rodriguez to use the digital cameras at Lucas's headquarters.<ref>''Once Upon a Time in Mexico'' DVD feature "Film is Dead".</ref> He was presented with the Extraordinary Contribution to Filmmaking Award at the 2010 [[Austin Film Festival]].

===''Predators''===
[[File:Robert Rodriguez.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Rodriguez at the premiere of ''[[Grindhouse (film)|Grindhouse]]'', Austin, Texas, 2007]]
{{Main|Predators (film)}}
In 2010, Rodriguez produced a new [[Predator (film)|Predator]] sequel, entitled ''[[Predators (film)|Predators]]''. This film's script was based on early drafts he had written after seeing the original. Rodriguez's ideas included a planet-sized game preserve and various creatures used by the Predators to hunt a group of abducted yet skilled humans. Opening to mostly positive reviews, the film fared reasonably well at the box office.

===''Machete''===
{{Main|Machete (2010 film)}}
''Machete'' is a feature film directed by Rodriguez and released in September 2010. It is an expansion of a fake [[trailer (film)|trailer]] Rodriguez directed for the 2007 film ''[[Grindhouse (film)|Grindhouse]]''. It starred [[Danny Trejo]] as the title character. Trejo, Rodriguez's 2nd cousin, has worked with him in some of his other movies such as ''[[Desperado (film)|Desperado]]'', ''[[From Dusk till Dawn]]'', ''[[Once Upon a Time in Mexico]]'' and ''[[Spy Kids (film)|Spy Kids]]'', where Trejo first appeared as Machete. Although originally announced to be released direct-to-DVD as an extra on the ''[[Planet Terror]]'' DVD, the film was produced as a theatrical release.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.moviehole.net/news/20070514_machete_movie_greenlit.html |title=Machete movie greenlit! |access-date=November 17, 2007 |last=Morris |first=Clint |date=May 14, 2007 |publisher=Moviehole |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071011040812/http://www.moviehole.net/news/20070514_machete_movie_greenlit.html |archive-date = October 11, 2007}}</ref>

According to Rodriguez, the origins of the film go back to ''[[Desperado (film)|Desperado]]''. He says, "When I met Danny, I said, 'This guy should be like the Mexican [[Jean-Claude Van Damme]] or [[Charles Bronson]], putting out a movie every year and his name should be Machete.' So I decided to do that way back when, never got around to it until finally now. So now, of course, I want to keep going and do a feature."<ref>{{cite news |last=Moro |first=Eric |title=SXSW 07: Machete Movie Coming |publisher=IGN Film Force |date=March 11, 2007 |url=http://movies.ign.com/articles/772/772081p1.html | access-date=March 27, 2007}}</ref> In an interview with ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' magazine, Rodriguez said that he wrote the screenplay back in 1993 when he cast Trejo in ''Desperado''. "So I wrote him this idea of a [[federales|federale]] from Mexico who gets hired to do hatchet jobs in the U.S. I had heard sometimes [[FBI]] or [[Drug Enforcement Administration|DEA]] have a really tough job that they don't want to get their own agents killed on, they'll hire an agent from Mexico to come do the job for $25,000. I thought, "That's ''Machete''. He would come and do a really dangerous job for a lot of money to him but for everyone else over here it's peanuts." But I never got around to making it."<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Edwards |first=Gavin |title=Horror Film Directors Dish About ''Grindhouse'' Trailers |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=April 2007 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/14022408/online_exclusive_horror_film_directors_dish_about_grindhouse_trailers/1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930181129/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/14022408/online_exclusive_horror_film_directors_dish_about_grindhouse_trailers/1 |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 30, 2007 |access-date=April 4, 2007}}</ref>

Rodriguez hoped to film ''Machete'' at the same time as ''[[Sin City: A Dame to Kill For]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Sciretta |first=Peter |title=Rodriguez to film Machete Movie during Sin City 2 |publisher=/film |date=March 26, 2007 |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/2007/03/26/rodriguez-to-film-machete-movie-during-sin-city-2 |archive-url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20090713202359/http://www.slashfilm.com/2007/03/26/rodriguez%2Dto%2Dfilm%2Dmachete%2Dmovie%2Dduring%2Dsin%2Dcity%2D2 |archive-date=July 13, 2009 |url-status=dead|access-date=May 9, 2008 }}</ref> Additionally, during [[Comic-Con International|Comic-Con International 2008]], he took the time to speak about Machete, including such topics as: status, possible sequels after the release of Machete, and production priorities.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrS5XRfeLtU | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211030/KrS5XRfeLtU| archive-date=October 30, 2021|title=COMIC CON 2008: Robert Rodriguez talks Machete |publisher=YouTube |date=July 24, 2008 |access-date=April 24, 2009}}{{cbignore}}</ref> It was also revealed that he has regularly pulled sequences from it for his other productions, including ''[[Once Upon a Time in Mexico]]. <sup>[</sup>''<sup>Citation Needed]</sup>  ''Machete'' was released in theaters September 3, 2010, in the U.S.

On May 5, 2010, Rodriguez responded to Arizona's controversial immigration law by releasing an "illegal" trailer on Ain't It Cool News.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/media/machete-movie-trailer-smart-slash-arizona-immigration-law/19469060/ |title=Machete Movie Trailer Takes a Smart Slash at Arizona Immigration Law |publisher=dailyfinance.com |access-date=May 8, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100516190541/http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/media/machete-movie-trailer-smart-slash-arizona-immigration-law/19469060/ |archive-date=May 16, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The fake trailer combined elements of the ''Machete'' trailer that appeared in ''Grindhouse'' with footage from the actual film,<ref name="AICN"/> and implied that the film would be about Machete leading a revolt against anti-immigration politicians and border vigilantes.<ref name="AICN"/> Several movie websites, including [[Internet Movie Database]], reported that it was the official teaser for the film.<ref name="AICN"/> However, Rodriguez later revealed the trailer to be a joke, explaining "it was [[Cinco de Mayo]] and I had too much [[tequila]]."<ref name="AICN">{{cite web |url=https://www.aintitcool.com/node/45169 |title=A family friendly ''Machete''? What do you mean no race war? & A secret Frazetta project?? Exclusive Robert Rodriguez interview!! |last1=Knowles |first1=Harry |date=May 19, 2010 |publisher=[[Ain't It Cool News]] |access-date=May 20, 2010}}</ref>

=== Streaming projects ===
In May 2020, Rodriguez announced, via an Instagram post in which he posed with a puppet of [[Grogu]], that he would direct an episode from the second season of the [[Disney+]] series ''[[The Mandalorian]]'', part of the ''[[Star Wars]]'' franchise.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Hibberd|first=James|date=May 4, 2020|title=Robert Rodriguez to direct The Mandalorian season 2 episode|url=https://ew.com/tv/robert-rodriguez-direct-mandalorian-season-2/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200505025542/https://ew.com/tv/robert-rodriguez-direct-mandalorian-season-2/|archive-date=May 5, 2020|access-date=May 4, 2020|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref> He also tweeted a video of himself on the set of the episode playing a guitar next to Grogu.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rodriguez|first=Robert|date=December 25, 2020|title=Rodriguez's Grogu video|work=Twitter |url=https://mobile.twitter.com/Rodriguez/status/1342349674334748672}}</ref> Rodriguez was also an executive producer on ''[[The Book of Boba Fett]]'', a spin-off of ''The Mandalorian'' released in December 2021,<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Book of Boba Fett Announced as New Star Wars Series on Disney+|url=https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/book-of-boba-fett-new-series-disney-plus-confirmed-star-wars/|access-date=December 21, 2020|website=TV Shows|date=December 21, 2020 |language=en}}</ref> where he also voiced Dokk Strassi<ref>{{Cite web |last=Silverio |first=Ben F. |date=December 29, 2021 |title=The Book Of Boba Fett Premiere Features A Robert Rodriguez Cameo |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/720374/the-book-of-boba-fett-premiere-features-a-robert-rodriguez-cameo/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211230023936/https://www.slashfilm.com/720374/the-book-of-boba-fett-premiere-features-a-robert-rodriguez-cameo/ |archive-date=December 30, 2021 |access-date=December 30, 2021 |website=[[/Film]]}}</ref> and Mok Shaiz.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schaefer |first=Sandy |date=January 5, 2022 |title=The Book Of Boba Fett Episode 2 Features Yet Another Robert Rodriguez Cameo |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/725230/the-book-of-boba-fett-episode-2-features-yet-another-robert-rodriguez-cameo/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220105175118/https://www.slashfilm.com/725230/the-book-of-boba-fett-episode-2-features-yet-another-robert-rodriguez-cameo/ |archive-date=January 5, 2022 |access-date=January 6, 2022 |website=[[/Film]]}}</ref>

In 2020, Rodriguez wrote and directed ''[[We Can Be Heroes (2020 film)|We Can Be Heroes]]'', a ''Sharkboy and Lavagirl'' spinoff, which was released on December 25, 2020, on Netflix to mixed reviews.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/we-can-be-heroes |title=We Can Be Heroes Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=January 15, 2021 }}{{cbignore}}</ref>

In August 2021, Rodriguez had signed a two-year first-look deal with [[HBO]] and [[HBO Max]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Cordero|first1=Rosy|date=August 12, 2021|title=Robert Rodríguez Inks First-Look Deal With HBO Max & HBO|url=https://deadline.com/2021/08/robert-rodriguez-inks-first-look-deal-with-hbo-max-hbo-1234813385/|access-date=December 20, 2021|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]}}</ref>

In 2023, he released ''Spy Kids: Armageddon'' on [[Netflix]]. The film received mixed reviews from critics.<ref name="Deadline">{{cite news |first=Justin |last=Kroll |title=Skydance Media To Reimagine The 'Spy Kids' Franchise With Spyglass Media And Series Creator Robert Rodriguez|url=https://deadline.com/2021/01/skydance-media-spy-kids-spyglass-media-robert-rodriguez-1234680783/ |access-date=January 26, 2021|work=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |date=January 26, 2021}}</ref><ref name="VarietyInsight">{{cite web|url=https://www.varietyinsight.com/production_restart_full_view.php?track_id=186966 | title=Film and TV Projects Going Into Production - Spy Kids|website=[[Variety Insight]] |access-date=March 26, 2021|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210326033659/https://www.varietyinsight.com/production_restart_full_view.php?track_id=186966 |archive-date=March 26, 2021}}</ref>

=== Unrealized Projects ===
Since 1998, Rodriguez has owned the film rights to [[Mike Allred]]'s off-beat comic ''[[Madman (Mike Allred character)|Madman]]''. The two have hinted at the project being close to beginning on several occasions without anything coming of it. However, other projects have been completed first. (Allred was instrumental in connecting Rodriguez with Frank Miller, leading to the production of ''Sin City''.) In 2004, Allred, while promoting his comic book ''The Golden Plates'', announced that a screenplay by [[George Huang (director)|George Huang]] was near completion. Allred announced at the 2006 [[WonderCon]] that production would likely commence on ''Madman the Movie'' in 2006. Huang is friends with Rodriguez, who advised him to pursue filmmaking as a career when Rodriguez landed a deal with [[Columbia Pictures]] where Huang was an employee.{{Citation needed|date=August 2011}}

In May 2007, it was announced that Rodriguez had signed on to direct a remake of ''[[Barbarella (film)|Barbarella]]'' for a 2008 release.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i3e0cd5c8b61cf5dd1910e92c972e7e99?imw=Y |title=Rodriguez to direct 'Barbarella' |publisher=Hollywoodreporter.com |date=May 22, 2007 |access-date=April 24, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011232016/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i3e0cd5c8b61cf5dd1910e92c972e7e99?imw=Y |archive-date=October 11, 2007 }}</ref> At the 2007 [[San Diego Comic-Con International|Comic-Con]] convention, actress [[Rosario Dawson]] announced that because of ''Barbarella'', production of ''Sin City: A Dame to Kill For'' would be put on hold. She also announced that she would be playing an amazon in the Barbarella film.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/677874/Dawson_Talks_Occult_on_ComicCon_LIVE.html |title=G4 – The Feed – Dawson Talks 'Occult' on Comic-Con LIVE |publisher=G4tv.com |date=July 24, 2007 |access-date=April 24, 2009 |archive-date=June 29, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170629223314/http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/677874/Dawson_Talks_Occult_on_ComicCon_LIVE.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> As of June 2008, plans to remake the film Barbarella with [[Rose McGowan]] as the lead have been delayed; the actress and director were instead remaking the film ''[[Red Sonja (1985 film)|Red Sonja]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.superherohype.com/news/topnews.php?id=7407 |title=Rodriguez and McGowan Team for Red Sonja – Superhero Hype! |date=June 26, 2008 |publisher=Superhero Hype! |access-date=April 24, 2009}}</ref>

In May 2008, Rodriguez was said to be shopping around a prison drama television series called ''Woman in Chains!'', with [[Rose McGowan]] being a possibility for a lead role.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.collider.com/entertainment/news/article.asp/aid/8033/tcid/Rodriguez |title=shopping around Woman in Chains! |publisher=Collider.com |date=May 28, 2008 |access-date=April 24, 2009 |archive-date=August 9, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110809130651/http://collider.com/entertainment/news/article.asp/aid/8033/tcid/Rodriguez |url-status=dead }}</ref> In May 2009, Rodriguez planned to produce a live-action remake of ''[[Fire and Ice (1983 film)|Fire and Ice]]'', a 1983 film collaboration between painter [[Frank Frazetta]] and animator [[Ralph Bakshi]]. The deal was closed shortly after Frazetta's death.<ref name="AICN"/>

In 2011, Rodriguez announced at [[San Diego Comic-Con International|Comic-Con]] that he had purchased the film rights to ''[[Heavy Metal (magazine)|Heavy Metal]]'' and planned to develop a [[Heavy Metal (film)#Remake|new animated film]] at the new Quick Draw Studios.<ref>{{cite web|title=SDCC: Robert Rodriguez Takes Heavy Metal|author=Film School Rejects|url=https://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=80106|publisher=comingsoon.net|date=July 21, 2011|access-date=November 26, 2011|archive-date=March 14, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314085106/http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=80106|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In November 2015, it was announced that Rodriguez directed the film ''[[100 Years (film)|100 Years]]'', which would not be released until 2115.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://variety.com/2015/film/news/john-malkovich-robert-rodriguez-100-years-1201644846/|title=John Malkovich and Robert Rodriguez Made a Movie That Won't Release Until 2115|magazine=Variety|last=Bryant|first=Jacob|date=November 19, 2015}}</ref>

In March 2017, it was announced that Rodriguez would direct a remake of the dystopian sci-fi action film ''[[Escape from New York]]'', with original director [[John Carpenter]] producing.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2017/03/robert-rodriguez-escape-from-new-york-director-1202051424/|title=Robert Rodriguez To Direct 'Escape From New York'|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|date=March 24, 2017}}</ref>

=== Brass Knuckle Films ===
In March 2025, Rodriguez announced a new company called Brass Knuckle Films at SXSW in Austin, Texas. <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.fastcompany.com/91291222/robert-rodriguez-launches-brass-knuckle-films/ | title=Robert Rodriguez launches Brass Knuckle Films, turning movie fans into investors | work=Fast Company | date=March 6, 2025 | last1=Ifeanyi | first1=Kc }}</ref>
The studio is set to make 4 films, with Rodriguez directing at least 1 and serving as producer on the rest of the slate. Brass Knuckle Films is a unique approach to a studio as it invites the fans to be the investors. Investors also pitch their film ideas to Rodriguez for one of the films in the slate of films planned. <ref>{{cite web | url=https://deadline.com/2025/03/robert-rodriguez-fan-driven-brass-knuckle-films-1236313783// | title=Robert Rodriguez Launches Fan-Driven Indie Action Studio Brass Knuckle Films | date=March 7, 2025 }}</ref>

=== Appearances ===
Rodriguez has a chapter giving advice in [[Tim Ferriss]]'s 2016 book ''[[Tools of Titans]]''.

=== Personal life ===
Rodriguez announced in April 2006 that he and his wife [[Elizabeth Avellán]], with whom he had five children, had separated after 16 years of marriage.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=7&entry_id=4169|title=Daily Dish: Rodríguez Splits With Wife|publisher=SFGate|date=April 7, 2006|access-date=April 24, 2009}}</ref>

He reportedly had a "dalliance"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/archives/2007/04/rodriguezmcgowa.php |title=Hollywood Elsewhere |last=Wells |first=Jeffrey |publisher=Hollywood Everywhere |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080104233437/http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/archives/2007/04/rodriguezmcgowa.php |archive-date=January 4, 2008}}</ref> with actress [[Rose McGowan]] during the shooting of ''Grindhouse''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2007/film/columns/weinsteins-ready-for-grindhouse-1117962150/ |title=Weinsteins ready for 'Grindhouse' – Entertainment News, Anne Thompson, Media  |work=Variety |date=March 30, 2007 |access-date=April 24, 2009}}</ref> In October 2007, ''[[Elle Magazine]]'' revealed that Rodriguez had cast McGowan in the title role in his remake of ''Barbarella''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://fashion.elle.com/blog/2007/09/september-30-20.html |title=Elle Tell All: September 30, 2007 |website=Fashion.elle.com |date=September 30, 2007 |access-date=April 24, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100813043621/http://fashion.elle.com/blog/2007/09/september-30-20.html |archive-date=August 13, 2010 }}</ref> They split up in October 2009.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Lifestyle/Story/STIStory_437217.html |title=Rose McGowan is single again |work=Straits Times |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100303170428/http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking+News/Lifestyle/Story/STIStory_437217.html |archive-date=March 3, 2010 }}</ref>

In October 2010, he walked [[Alexa Vega]] ([[Carmen Cortez]] in ''Spy Kids'' series) down the aisle at her wedding to producer [[Sean Covel]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://people.com/celebrity/alexa-vega-of-spy-kids-marries-producer/|title=Alexa Vega of Spy Kids Marries Producer|date=October 11, 2010|website=People}}</ref>

In March 2014, Rodriguez showed his collection of Frank Frazetta original paintings in [[Austin, Texas]], during the [[SXSW]] festival.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nerdist.com/2014/03/exclusive-robert-rodriguez-opening-museum-of-frank-frazetta-art-at-sxsw/ |date= March 6, 2014|title=Exclusive: Robert Rodriguez Opening Museum of Frank Frazetta Art at SXSW|first1=Dan|last1=Casey|website=Nerdist|access-date=December 24, 2015}}</ref>

==Style==
[[File:Rodriguez, Robert (2007).jpg|thumb|Rodriguez in 2007]]

Rodriguez not only has the credits of producing, directing and writing his films, he also frequently serves as [[Film editing#Film editor|editor]], [[director of photography]], [[camera operator]], [[steadicam]] operator, composer, [[production designer]], visual effects supervisor, and [[Sound editor (filmmaking)|sound editor]] on his films. This has earned him the nickname of "the one-man film crew". He abbreviates his numerous roles in his film credits; ''Once Upon a Time in Mexico'', for instance, is "shot, chopped, and scored by Robert Rodriguez", and ''Sin City'' is "shot and cut by Robert Rodriguez".

He calls his style of making movies "Mariachi-style" (in reference to his first feature film ''El Mariachi'') in which (according to the back cover of his book ''Rebel Without a Crew'') "Creativity, not money, is used to solve problems." He prefers to work at night, spending his day-time hours with his kids, when they're home, and says that he believes many creative people are "[[Night owl (person)|night people]]".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1185057|title=Filmmaker Robert Rodriguez|website=NPR.org}}</ref>

In his 2006 book ''[[The DV Rebel's Guide]]'', [[Stu Maschwitz]] coined the term "Robert Rodriguez list", i.e. the filmmaker compiling a list of things they have access to like cool cars, apartments, horses, samurai swords and so on, and then writing the screenplay based on that list.<ref name="DVReb" />

Rodriguez wrote a blurb for the book that stated:
<blockquote>I'd been wanting to write a book for the new breed of digital filmmakers, but now I don't have to.  My pal and fellow movie maker Stu Maschwitz has compressed years of experience into this thorough guide.  Don't make a movie without reading this book!<ref name="DVReb">{{cite book|last1=Maschwitz|first1=Stu|title=The DV rebel's guide : an all-digital approach to making killer action movies on the cheap|date=2007|publisher=Peachpit Press|location=Berkeley, CA|isbn=978-0321413642|page=back cover}}</ref></blockquote>

== Filmography==
{{Main|Robert Rodriguez filmography}} 
===Directed features===
<!-- ONLY INCLUDE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEGAN FILMING  -->
{{div-col}}
* ''[[El Mariachi]]'' (1992)
* ''[[Desperado (film)|Desperado]]'' (1995)
* ''[[Four Rooms]]'' (1995)
* ''[[From Dusk till Dawn]]'' (1996)
* ''[[The Faculty]]'' (1998)
* ''[[Spy Kids (film)|Spy Kids]]'' (2001)
* ''[[Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams]]'' (2002)
* ''[[Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over]]'' (2003)
* ''[[Once Upon a Time in Mexico]]'' (2003)
* ''[[Sin City (film)|Sin City]]'' (2005)
* ''[[The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl]]'' (2005)
* ''[[Planet Terror]]'' (2007)
* ''[[Shorts (2009 film)|Shorts]]'' (2009)
* ''[[Machete (2010 film)|Machete]]'' (2010)
* ''[[Spy Kids: All the Time in the World]]'' (2011)
* ''[[Machete Kills]]'' (2013)
* ''[[Sin City: A Dame to Kill For]]'' (2014)
* ''[[Alita: Battle Angel]]'' (2019)
* ''[[Red 11]]'' (2019)
* ''[[We Can Be Heroes (2020 film)|We Can Be Heroes]]'' (2020)
* ''[[Hypnotic (2023 film)|Hypnotic]]'' (2023)
* ''[[Spy Kids: Armageddon]]'' (2023)
{{div-col-end}}

== Bibliography ==
*''[[Rebel Without a Crew]]'' (subtitle: Or How a 23-Year-Old Filmmaker with $7,000 Became a Hollywood Player) - 1995
*''RoadRacers'' (subtitle: The Making of a Degenerate Hot Rod Flick) - 1998

==Influences==
Robert Rodriguez has brought a number of his favorite and most influential directors on his television show, ''[[The Director's Chair]]''. Some of these directors included [[John Carpenter]], [[Quentin Tarantino]], and [[George Miller (director)|George Miller]]. 

Rodriguez's favorite movie as a child was [[Escape to Witch Mountain (1975 film)|''Escape to Witch Mountain'']], and admits that film, alongside ''[[Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory]]'', ''[[Chitty Chitty Bang Bang]]'', various ''[[James Bond]]'' films and various [[Ray Harryhausen|Ray Harryhaussen]] films influenced and inspired him while he was working on the ''Spy Kids'' series.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hispanic Blood: An Interview with Robert Rodriguez |url=https://www.creativescreenwriting.com//hispanic-blood-an-interview-with-robert-rodriguez |access-date=January 5, 2024 |website=Creative Screenwriting}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=An Interview With Spy Kids Writer and Director Robert Rodriguez |url=https://www.laughingplace.com/w/leg/ |access-date=January 5, 2024 |website=LaughingPlace.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=June 3, 2008 |title=Science Fiction Weekly Interview |url=http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue277/interview.html |access-date=January 5, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080603060037/http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue277/interview.html |archive-date=June 3, 2008 }}</ref>

He also said on IGN that children will support anything that is empowering to them, citing ''[[Home Alone]]'' and ''[[Mighty Morphin Power Rangers]]'', saying "''You can't understand, 'Why do you like Power Rangers?' Well, it's empowerment, and children – especially younger children – they need their mom just to go to the mall, you know?  They can't drive themselves wherever they want.  So when they see kids being very empowered, flying around in jet packs, being proactive, it's empowering to them''".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Z |first=Brian |date=July 26, 2003 |title=An Interview with Robert Rodriguez |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2003/07/26/an-interview-with-robert-rodriguez |access-date=January 5, 2024 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref>

==Collaborations==
Rodriguez has cast certain actors in more than one of his projects. [[Danny Trejo]] has appeared in ten of his projects, while [[Antonio Banderas]], [[Salma Hayek]], and [[Cheech Marin]] have all appeared in seven; [[Alexa PenaVega]] has appeared in six, and [[Jessica Alba]], [[Daryl Sabara]], [[Tom Savini]], and [[Patricia Vonne]] have all appeared in five.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Directors' Trademarks: Robert Rodriguez
|url=https://www.cinelinx.com/movie-news/movie-stuff/directors-trademarks-robert-rodriguez/|access-date=August 7, 2021|website=Cinelinx|date=October 6, 2013}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Chingon (band)|Chingon]]
* [[El Rey Network]]
* [[Dogme 95]]
* [[Robert Rodriguez's unrealized projects]]

==References==
{{Reflist|}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Robert Rodriguez}}
* {{IMDb name|1675}}

{{Robert Rodriguez}}
{{Navboxes
|title = Media franchises created or developed by Robert Rodriguez
|list = 
{{From Dusk till Dawn}}
{{Spy Kids}}
{{Grindhouse}}
}}
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for Robert Rodriguez
|list =
{{Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Cinematography}}
{{Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Editing}}
{{Satellite Award for Best Original Song}}
}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rodriguez, Robert}}
[[Category:Robert Rodriguez| ]]
[[Category:1968 births]]
[[Category:American action film directors]]
[[Category:American cinematographers]]
[[Category:American film directors of Mexican descent]]
[[Category:American film editors]]
[[Category:American film score composers]]
[[Category:American horror film directors]]
[[Category:American male film score composers]]
[[Category:American male screenwriters]]
[[Category:American writers of Mexican descent]]
[[Category:Film directors from Texas]]
[[Category:Film producers from Texas]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Moody College of Communication alumni]]
[[Category:Musicians from Texas]]
[[Category:People from San Antonio]]
[[Category:Postmodernist filmmakers]]
[[Category:Screenwriters from Texas]]
[[Category:Sundance Film Festival award winners]]
[[Category:Visual effects supervisors]]
[[Category:Writers from Austin, Texas]]
[[Category:American comedy film directors]]
[[Category:Mexican comedy film directors]]
[[Category:Mexican film directors]]