The Parent Trap (1998 film)

The Parent Trap is a 1998 American romantic comedy film directed by Nancy Meyers, in her feature directorial debut, and produced by Meyers' then-husband Charles Shyer. The film stars Dennis Quaid, Natasha Richardson and Lindsay Lohan, in her film debut. The plot centers on a pair of identical twins who have been separated at birth and, upon meeting by chance at summer camp, decide to work together to reunite their divorced parents. The Parent Trap is a remake and a legacy sequel of the 1961 film of the same name and an adaptation of Erich Kästner's 1949 German children's novel Lisa and Lottie (Das doppelte Lottchen). David Swift, who wrote the screenplay for the original 1961 film, is credited along with Meyers and Shyer as co-writers of the 1998 film.

Principal photography took place in both California and in London with cinematographer Dean Cundey. During post-production, editing was completed by Stephen A. Rotter and the score was composed by Alan Silvestri. The film utilized special effects to make Lohan's dual role seamless, with many shots requiring extensive planning and precise execution during photography and compositing in post-production.

The Parent Trap premiered in Los Angeles on July 20, 1998, before it was theatrically released in the United States on July 29, 1998, by Walt Disney Pictures. The film was distributed by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution and was a box-office hit, grossing $92.1 million worldwide against a budget of $15 million. The film received positive reviews from critics, with Lohan's performance, in particular, earning high praise. She won the Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actress at the 20th Youth in Film Awards in 1999. Lohan's performance in The Parent Trap is widely considered to have been a significant factor in the film's success, marking her breakthrough role and launching her to stardom.