Here's a ranking of every entry in the Honey, I Shrunk The Kids movie franchise. The original film might be remembered as a fun children's adventure, but it was originally conceived by the late horror auteur Stuart Gordon, best known for helming 1985's Re-Animator and sci-fi action film Fortress. He and producer Brian Yuzna (Society) came up with the idea for the film - then titled Teeny Weenies - with Gordon set to direct, though he later dropped out to be replaced by Joe Johnston.
Honey, I Shrunk The Kids was a blockbuster success that led to a new franchise. In addition to leading man Rick Moranis (Ghostbusters) returning for the sequels, it also received a TV spinoff that lasted for three seasons - with Stuart Gordon directing a season 2 episode - and various theme park attractions. After laying dormant for a long period the franchise is set to be revived with the upcoming Shrunk, which will feature the return of Moranis's Wayne after the actor essentially retired in the 1990s, and will co-star Josh Gad as Wayne's inventor son Nick. Filming was set to begin in 2020 but has been pushed back due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
The Honey, I Shrunk The Kids franchise holds a special place for those who grew up with it, so here's the series ranked from worst to best.
Honey, I Blew Up The Kid (1992)
The first sequel inverts the premise by having scientist Wayne accidentally cause his toddler son to grow to giant size. Honey, I Blew Up The Kid then sees young Adam go on a rampage around Las Vegas, but while the special effects are quite fun, the sequel lacks the freshness and warmth of the original. Moranis grounds the whole thing as per usual, and it's notable for being Keri Russell's (The Americans) movie debut, but a flimsy story and dearth of good gags make it the weakest entry.
Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves (1997)
Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves started as a planned theatrical follow-up that later became an experiment for Disney, who wanted to test how a live-action sequel would fare going straight to VHS. The budget was thus slashed with acclaimed DOP Dean Cundey (The Thing) making his directorial debut on the threequel.
While the budget downgrade hurts the sequel somewhat and it essentially repeats the same plot as the original - this time with adults - it's not without its charms. The setpieces are somewhat creative, the cast plays off each other well and with a tight runtime its perfectly acceptable Sunday afternoon fare.
Honey, I Shrunk The Kids (1989)
Obviously, Honey, I Shrunk The Kids is still the peak of the series. It just works, milking a simple but effective premise for all its worth. Turning the average family backyard into a harsh, terrifying jungle is a genius move, it's loaded with inventive visuals and director Joe Johnston (Captain America: The First Avenger) does a great job balancing action with character. It was a tough act to follow, as the sequels proved, but hopefully Shrunk will somewhat recapture the sheer charm of the first movie.