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Stream Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Now
It doesn’t matter how old you are — there is something so magical about the premise behind Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. The 1989 family comedy science fiction movie is about four parents’ search for their respective kids when one of the parent’s shrink machine accidentally reduces the four kids to microscopic sizes. It’s not the most realistic premise for a movie, but it was the ‘80s and the movie paved the way for a few more like it in the franchise.
Whether you watched the movie when it was originally released in theaters or you prefer to watch Honey, I Shrunk the Kids online, it has something for the whole family. Since it’s rated PG, you can expect some adult humor thrown in for good measure, but the starring role of the Rick Moranis makes it nostalgic for almost anyone who watches it.
The movie also marked director Joe Johnston’s directorial debut. He went on to direct Jumanji, Jurassic Park III, and Captain America: The First Avenger too. But as the franchise began with this movie, so did the director’s career, in a way.
Streaming Honey I Shrunk the Kids certainly isn’t the only way to watch it, but these days, it’s definitely preferred by many. And here’s how to stream Honey, I Shrunk the Kids now.
How to Stream ‘Honey, I Shrunk The Kids’ – Exclusively on Disney+
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids is one of the classic 90s Disney movies that will be streaming exclusively on Disney’s new subscription streaming service, Disney+.
You can stream Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and hundreds of other movies and shows on your computer, phone, tablet, smart TV or streaming device. The service costs $6.99/month. You may also opt for this discount bundle of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ for $12.99/month.
- 1. Sign up for Disney+ here
- 2. Go to Disneyplus.com or download the Disney+ app on your device
- 3. Log in using your information
- 4. Search for “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids”
- 5. Tap on “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids”
- 6. Tap the Play button
- 7. Enjoy!
Disney+ also boasts a vast library of Disney-owned movies and series — plus several new original series coming soon. The service includes unlimited downloads so you can watch offline whenever and wherever you want. The list of compatible devices and smart TVs includes iPads, Apple TV, Amazon devices, Amazon Fire TV, Android, Chromecast, Roku, PS4, and Xbox One.
‘Honey, I Shrunk The Kids’: Overview
Release Date: June 23, 1989
Creators: Ed Naha, Tom Schulman, Stuart Gordon, and Brian Yuzna
Director: Joe Johnston
Starring: Rick Moranis, Matt Frewer, Marcia Strassman, and Kristine Sutherland
Rating: PG
Synopsis: After a group of teenagers is shrunk by one of their parent’s science experiment, it’s up to the struggling scientist to find his children before the dangers of the unknown put their lives in peril as microscopic organisms.
How Long Is ‘Honey, I Shrunk The Kids’?
The original theatrical release of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids was one hour and 33 minutes long.
‘Honey, I Shrunk The Kids’ Plot
Struggling and sometimes dim-witted scientist Wayne Szalinski is looked down on by his neighbors for his off-the-wall inventions, which occasionally wreak havoc on his home, both inside and out. And when the neighbors’ kids show up in the house to retrieve a ball they accidentally hit through the attic window, they inadvertently set off a shrink ray, which not only targets the neighbors but also the Szalinski kids, reducing them to a size no bigger than dust mites.
When Wayne returns home after a conference, he inadvertently sweeps the kids into a garbage bag and deposits it outside. Luckily, the kids escape in time to find themselves in the yard and work on trekking their way back to the house to try and get someone’s attention. Through battles with over-sized ants and scorpions, along with an epic oatmeal pie that is several times larger than the now-shrunken kids, they make their way back to the house, where they finally alert Wayne to their size.
He’s able to turn them back to their former sizes and, in the process, gains the trust and friendship of his neighbors, who originally judged him for his penchant for failed inventions.
‘Honey, I Shrunk The Kids’ Cast
Even though the larger part of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids is spent following the four kids on their adventures as tiny humans, the star of the movie is undoubtedly Rick Moranis. He helped make the franchise what it was and, even though the other actors in the movie rounded out the cast in a way that worked, it probably wouldn’t have been the same without him. Still, some of the actors from Honey. I Shrunk the Kids went on to have full TV or movie careers of their own.
Rick Moranis as Wayne Szalinski
Wayne Szalinski is a struggling scientist with big ideas, but very little follow-through. And although he would rather work on his inventions than actually make money for his family, he means well. In real life, Rick Moranis became synonymous with his role as the dad in this film and others in the franchise. However, after much of his movie work in the ‘80s and early ‘90s, Moranis dedicated most of his time to raising his family and doing voice work rather than take on more demanding roles.
Matt Frewer as Big Russ Thompson
Big Russ Thompson is a gruff and demanding dad who expects his sons to grow up to be just like him. Naturally, he doesn’t get along with Wayne at first and would even prefer if his kids steered clear of the family next door altogether. By the end of the movie, however, he softens and he’s able to get along with the Szalinskis. These days, Matt Frewer can be found on Fear the Walking Dead and also had a role on Orphan Black.
Marcia Strassman as Diane Szalinski
Although Diane Szalinski works hard for her family, she isn’t thrilled about being the sole breadwinner while Wayne creates and executes failed experiment after failed experiment. She still works alongside him, however, to find the kids and bring them back once they realize the machine shrunk their kids. Although Marcia Strassman went on to work on shows like Providence and Tremors, she will probably always be most well known for her roles in both Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and Honey, I Blew Up the Kid.
Kristine Sutherland as Mae Thompson
Although Mae Thompson is married to the typical man’s man in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, she has a softer side than her husband and younger son. So it makes sense when she wants to work with the Szalinskis to find their collective children. Some Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans might have seen Kristine Sutherland in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids before she segued to TV, but most know her for her longtime role in the TV show more than anything else.
‘Honey, I Shrunk The Kids’ Songs and Soundtrack
The soundtrack to Honey, I Shrunk the Kids wasn’t actually formally released until 2009. And even then, the soundtrack was limited so that only 3,000 copies of it would be released. The soundtrack feature work by James Horner, who was an Academy and Golden Globe Award-winning composer. It also features songs performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, which might make some fans wonder why it took so long for the soundtrack to be released. Others, however, may just be glad there is one at all.
‘Honey, I Shrunk The Kids’ at the Box Office
There’s no way Disney could have known how successful Honey, I Shrunk the Kids would be at the time of its release, or how much of a cult classic it would become. But long before millennials were referencing the movie in memes or quotes, it did exceedingly well at the box office. Domestically, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids earned $130,724,172, while worldwide the movie raked in a total of $222,724,172. In comparison, its 1992 sequel, Honey, I Blew Up the Kid, earned just $58,662,452 worldwide. That could be because it wasn’t released internationally as Honey, I Shrunk the Kids did, but clearly the latter had much more success.
‘Honey, I Shrunk The Kids’ Reviews – What the Critics Said
Despite the high box office numbers, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids has mostly mixed reviews. A review on RogerEbert.com said that the movie has “low energy” and gave it just two stars. On the other hand, however, on EmpireOnline.com, commended the movie for its inventiveness for the entire family to enjoy. And while the audience score for Honey, I Shrunk the Kids is at 54% on Rotten Tomatoes, the critics’ score is 75%, making the movie fresh enough.
Where ‘Honey, I Shrunk The Kids’ Fits in the Disney Movie Pantheon
Although the sequels which stemmed from Honey, I Shrunk the Kids weren’t as successful or widely received as the movie that began the franchise, there were two more movies created before the story of the Szalinskis made a switch to television. After Honey, I Blew Up the Kids came Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves in 1997. That same year, the Disney Channel premiered Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show. And now, Disney+ will be releasing a Honey, I Shrunk the Kids reboot starring Frozen’s Josh Gad. It’s still unclear when the reboot is happening, but there is more meat than ever to reports of the Disney streaming platform premiering one for its audience. And in October, Insider names Honey, I Shrunk the Kids as one of 51 movies to get excited about on Disney+.
‘Honey, I Shrunk The Kids’ Trailer
Stream Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Now
‘Honey, I Shrunk The Kids’ Trivia: 5 Fast Facts
2019 marks the 30th anniversary of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids’ theatrical release. And you don’t get to be a cult classic in the grand scheme of ‘80s movies without a ton of dedicated fans decades later. These are some of the more notable facts about the movie that will likely make you want to stream Honey, I Shrunk the Kids all over again.
1. Anty Was Just As Horrifying On Set
The larger than life ant the shrunken kids worked with to keep them safe and affectionately named ‘Anty’ was a large robot controlled by as many as 12 people at once. Needless to say, it was just as scary in real life to film with as it was for younger fans to watch in the film.
2. Everyone Was Surprised By The Box Office Numbers
No one really expected the movie to be as successful as it was. At the time, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids has the largest Disney opening weekend ever. For a movie that could have been a major bomb, that’s a huge feat and speaks volumes about the success it would see in theaters worldwide.
3. The Cheerios Scene Went Beyond Special Effects
In the scene where Wayne almost eats the kids in his bowl of Cheerios, a lot had to be done to effectively create the image of the kids swimming in a bowl of milk. The actors had to swim around a tank filled with water meant to look milky white and the “Cheerios” were actually tractor inner tubes.
4. It Earned A Special Kind Of Award
Every moviemaker wants to earn an Emmy or Oscar for their film. But Honey, I Shrunk the Kids actually earned a Dunce Cap Award from the Society for the Preservation of English Language and Literature for using the work “shrunk” instead of the grammatically correct “shrank.”
5. Disney Was Worried About The Kids
One of the creators, Stuart Gordon, told TCM in an interview that Disney was concerned the characters would die in the film and executives remained nervous throughout filming. He explained, however, that while he wanted the audience to worry about the kids’ safety, the plan was never to actually kill off any of them in the PG-rated family film.