Synopsis

A secret research facility studies babies who retain a mysterious universal knowledge and communicate in an unknown language before learning to speak. When one exceptionally gifted infant escapes and is accidentally switched with his ordinary twin, the children's parents become caught in a scheme involving scientific ambition, corporate power, and the fate of every baby in the world.

Factoids & Trivia

• The film's central idea originated with producer Steven Paul, who said he was inspired after seeing two babies appear to communicate at Barneys New York.

• The project was initially conceived as a more fantastical story involving a hidden Baby World. The screenplay was later reshaped around a scientific research facility and corporate intrigue.

• The talking-baby effect was created by digitally manipulating the babies' mouth movements. The production used mouth shapes sampled from syllables made by the babies during filming, rather than simply placing adult performers' mouths over the footage.

• Triplets Leo, Gerry, and Myles Fitzgerald played the roles of Wilt and Sly. Using triplets allowed the production to work longer hours than would have been possible with a single baby or a pair of twins.

• The movie was filmed in 50 days and completed in March 1997, but unfinished visual effects caused several release delays. It was eventually released theatrically on March 12, 1999.

• Made for a reported $12 million, the film earned approximately $36.5 million worldwide. Despite its poor critical reception, it received a 2004 sequel, Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2.