The Parent Trap is an American family-comedy film-series, including the original theatrical film, three made-for-television sequel movies and a theatrical legacy sequel/soft-remake. Based on the 1949 novel Lisa and Lottie (published in the United Kingdom and Australia since 2014 as The Parent Trap) by Erich Kästner, the plot centers around identical twin sisters, who were separated at birth and rediscover each other while attending summer camp. The pair trade places upon returning home and devise a plan to bring their family back together. The original 1961 film, which starred Hayley Mills, received positive critical response and was deemed a financial success, bringing in nearly $29.7 million worldwide. Starting in 1986, three television sequels were produced and released as a part of The Magical World of Disney series. The 1998 remake, which starred Lindsay Lohan (in her film debut), also received critical response and was deemed a financial success, bringing in $92.1 million worldwide against a $15 million budget. The franchise is expected to continue, with a streaming exclusive reboot in development to be released on Disney+.
Origin
The 1949 German children's picture book by Erich Kästner first published as Das Doppelte Lottchen (The Double Lottie), was written during WWII as a plot for a movie. In 1942, Kästner was allowed by Nazi officials to develop the project under the working title of "The Great Secret", before the authorities eventually forbade his continued work. After the war, the author redeveloped the story into the successful novel. The plot follows Lisa Palfy and Lottie Horn (Luise Palfy and Lottie Körner in the updated British translation), two identical twins separated in infancy when their parents divorced, with each child raised by one of the parents. The unsuspecting sisters meet at a summer camp where they engineer a plan to switch places when they return home. Though their behavior differs greatly, the parents do not suspect that the daughters had switched places. Upon realization, the family reunites and at the behest of the daughters, the couple gets back together. The book was adapted into various versions, including Walt Disney's adaptation. The novel was discovered by Disney's story editor Bill Dover who recommended the studio purchase the film rights. Production commenced in July 1960 under the working title of "We Belong Together", and went until September of the same year.BY WAY OF REPORT By A.H. WEILER. New York Times 4 Sep 1960: 79.
Films Film U.S. release date Director Screenwriter(s) Story by Producer(s) The Parent Trap David Swift Walt Disney and George Golitzen The Parent Trap II Ronald F. Maxwell Stuart Krieger Joan Barnett Parent Trap III Mollie Miller Jill Donner Deborah Amelon & Jill Donner Jill Donner and Henry Colman Parent Trap: Hawaiian Honeymoon John McNamara Charles Milhaupt and Richard Luke Rothschild The Parent Trap Nancy Meyers David Swift and Nancy Meyers & Charles Shyer Charles Shyer
Original tetralogy The Parent Trap (1961)
Sharon McKendrick and Susan Evers (Hayley Mills in a dual role) are identical twin sisters who were separated at birth due to their parents' divorce, but are unintentionally reunited years later at summer camp. Together, they devise a plan to bring their parents back together and reconcile their family by switching places after camp with intentions being to sway their parents into falling in love once more, with Sharon heading to California (posing as Susan) to meet her father, Mitch (Brian Keith) and Susan heading to Boston (posing as Sharon) to meet her mother, Maggie (Maureen O'Hara). Their attempts are problematically opposed by their father's gold-digging fiancé, Vicky Robinson (Joanna Barnes). The girls double their efforts in bringing their parents together.
The Parent Trap II (1986)
25 years after the first film, Sharon now finds herself living the life of a divorced, single mother. While at summer school, her 11-year-old daughter, Nicole a.k.a. "Nikki" (Carrie Kei Heim in her final role before retiring), befriends Mary Grand (Bridgette Andersen), a fellow camper who would later become her step-sister. The pair work together as matchmakers to persuade Sharon into dating Mary's widowed father, Bill (Tom Skerritt). The young friends work to convince their parents that they should be dating. As Sharon plans to move to New York and enroll Nikki into an all-girls school in the fall, Susan is brought into the plan in order to help the single parents realize they love each other.
Parent Trap III (1989)
Upon returning from their respective summer vacations, triplets Megan, Lisa and Jessie Wyatt (Joy, Leanna and Monica Creel, respectively) discover that their father, Jeffrey (Barry Bostwick), is engaged to a snobbish Cassie McGuire (Patricia Richardson). When Cassie makes the unpopular decision to remodel the family's beach house in California, Susan Evers (Hayley Mills) is hired to redecorate. Susan, who is now herself divorced after helping her niece Nicole a.k.a. "Nikki" (Carrie Kei Heim in her final role before retiring) find love for Sharon again in The Parent Trap II by pairing her with Bill Grand (Tom Skerritt), finds fulfillment in her work. As the triplets collectively decide that Susan is the right woman for their father, they develop a plan to bring the pair together. When their scheme doesn't seem to be working, they turn to Susan's twin sister, Sharon McKendrick-Grand (Mills in a dual role), for assistance. With the wedding quickly approaching, the women set out to prevent Jeffrey from marrying the wrong woman.
Parent Trap: Hawaiian Honeymoon (1989)
Newlywed couple Jeffrey and Susan Wyatt inherit a family resort in Hawai'i from his late-aunt. Together, the couple, his teenaged triplets and Susan's twin sister, Sharon, move to the island to repair its run-down condition and restore the vacationing location so that they can run an operating business. Despite their attempts, the project proves to be more than its worth, so Jeffrey and Susan decide to sell the property once it is reinstated. As the triplets encounter experiences with the boys they meet at the beach, Jeffrey comes into contact with an old high school rival named Ray. Ray bargains to purchase the property, with a promise of keeping the resort as-is. It soon comes to light that Ray has ulterior motives, which may not only include the land.
The Parent Trap (1998)
American-raised Hallie Parker and British-raised Annie James (Lindsay Lohan in her film debut) are twin sisters who were separated at birth. By happenstance, the two attend the same summer camp and meet as complete strangers. Born to divorced parents Nick and Elizabeth (Dennis Quaid and Natasha Richardson, respectively), the preteen girls were raised on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean. After overcoming their differences and becoming close friends, the pair create a plan to swap places when they go home, giving each of them the chance to spend time with the parent that they have not had an opportunity to build a relationship with. The twins soon decide that they want to get the family back together and come up with ideas for reuniting their parents.
Untitled reboot (TBA) In November 2019, it was announced that a reboot is in development. The project will be released via streaming, as a Disney+ exclusive. In June 2026, Lisa Ann Walter revealed on The Howard Stern Wrap-Up Show that the project was a follow-up to the 1998 film she starred in as housekeeper Chessy. She and Lindsay Lohan were in talks to reprise their roles.
Main cast and characters Character Film The Parent Trap The Parent Trap II Parent Trap III Parent Trap The Parent Trap Untitled reboot 1961 1986 1989 1998 Sharon Grand (née McKendrick) Hayley Mills Susan Wyatt (née Evers) Margaret "Maggie" McKendrick Maureen O'Hara Mitchel "Mitch" Evers Brian Keith Vicky Robinson-Blake Joanna Barnes Joanna Barnes Charles McKendrick Charlie Ruggles Louise McKendrick Cathleen Nesbitt Verbena Una Merkel Edna Robinson Linda Watkins William "Bill" Grand Tom Skerritt Nicole "Nikki" Ferris Carrie Kei Heim Mary Grand Bridgette Andersen Brian Carey Alex Harvey Florence Gloria Cromwell Jessica Dintruff Judith Tannen Jeffrey Wyaty colspan="2" Barry Bostwick Lisa Wyatt Leanna Creel Jessie Wyatt Monica Lacy Megan Wyatt Joy Creel Cassie McGuire Patricia Richardson Nick Ray Baker Ray John M. Jackson Charlotte Brink Jayne Meadows Hallie Parker Lindsay Lohan Annie James Nicholas "Nick" Parker Dennis Quaid Elizabeth "Liz" James Natasha Richardson Charles James Ronnie Stevens Chessy Lisa Ann Walter Martin Simon Kunz Vicky Blake Joanna Barnes Meredith Blake Elaine Hendrix Les Blake J. Patrick McCormack
Additional crew and production details FilmCrew/Detail Composer Cinematographer Editor(s) Production companies Distributing companies Running time The Parent Trap Paul Smith Lucien Ballard Philip W. Anderson Walt Disney Productions Buena Vista Distribution Company 128 minutes The Parent Trap II Charles Fox Peter Stein Corky Ehlers Walt Disney Television The Walt Disney Company, Buena Vista Television, The Disney Channel, Disney-ABC Domestic Television, The Landsburg Company 81 minutes Parent Trap III Joel McNeely Isidore Mankofsky Howard Kunin & Duane Hartzell Buena Vista Television, Disney-ABC Domestic Television, National Broadcasting Company 85 minutes Parent Trap: Hawaiian Honeymoon Michel Hugo Art Stafford & Karen I. Stern 86 minutes The Parent Trap Alan Silvestri Dean Cundey Stephen A. Rotter Walt Disney Pictures Buena Vista Pictures Distribution 128 minutes Untitled reboot Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Disney+, The Walt Disney Company
Reception
Box office and financial performance Film Box office gross Box office ranking Budget Worldwide totalnet income North America Other territories Worldwide All time North America All time worldwide The Parent Trap $25,150,385 $4,500,000 $29,650,385 #3,163 #5,991 <$29,650,385 The Parent Trap $66,308,518 $25,800,141 $92,108,659 #1,257 #3,340 $15,000,000 $77,108,659 Totals $91,458,903 $30,300,141 $121,759,044 <$106,759,044
Critical and public response Film Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic CinemaScore The Parent Trap 90% (20 reviews) 73/100 (4 reviews) The Parent Trap II (3 reviews) Parent Trap III (2 reviews) Parent Trap: Hawaiian Honeymoon The Parent Trap 86% (51 reviews) 64/100 (19 reviews) A
In other media Streaming event In May 2020, Nancy Meyers (whose 1998 remake of The Parent Trap marked her feature directorial debut) announced a 22-year anniversary reunion event for the cast and crew, which included her now-ex-husband Charles Shyer (who produced the film), Lindsay Lohan, Dennis Quaid, Elaine Hendrix, Lisa Ann Walter and Simon Kunz. In July, together they discussed the making of the movie on Katie Couric's Instagram page as a charity fundraiser for World Central Kitchen, while also honoring the memory of Natasha Richardson, who passed away in 2009.
Documentary