On this day July 6, 1988, Short Circuit 2 premiered in theaters and brought back Johnny Five for another round of misadventure, this time in the big city. Directed by Kenneth Johnson, the sequel followed the lovable robot as he explored New York City and found himself caught between street crime, corporate greed, and the human desire for connection. Fisher Stevens returned as Ben Jahveri, joined by Michael McKean, Cynthia Gibb, and Jack Weston, with Tim Blaney once again voicing Johnny Five.
While the first film focused on Johnny’s creation and discovery of life, the sequel leaned more into action and comedy. Johnny’s wide eyed innocence and evolving personality became the emotional core of the film, as he searched for friendship and meaning in a world that didn’t always welcome outsiders. The film balanced heartwarming moments with fast paced urban chaos, and gave audiences another dose of 80s style robot charm.
Short Circuit 2 earned 21.6 million dollars at the box office on a 15 million dollar budget. You can revisit the movie in our Short Circuit 2 (1988) thread.
80s insight: Short Circuit 2 proved that even in a decade filled with high tech action, a simple robot with heart could still steal the show.
While the first film focused on Johnny’s creation and discovery of life, the sequel leaned more into action and comedy. Johnny’s wide eyed innocence and evolving personality became the emotional core of the film, as he searched for friendship and meaning in a world that didn’t always welcome outsiders. The film balanced heartwarming moments with fast paced urban chaos, and gave audiences another dose of 80s style robot charm.
Short Circuit 2 earned 21.6 million dollars at the box office on a 15 million dollar budget. You can revisit the movie in our Short Circuit 2 (1988) thread.
80s insight: Short Circuit 2 proved that even in a decade filled with high tech action, a simple robot with heart could still steal the show.
