D23 once again stormed the Anaheim Convention Center, as it does every other year, bringing Disney news in droves. There was plenty from the House of Ideas and the Galaxy Far, Far Away. But Disney Animation and Pixar Studios grabbed everyone’s attention, this year. It might have had something to do with the much-awaited sequel to a certain Pixar classic, The Incredibles.
Pixar unveiled exclusive first-look footage at the event. But according to accounts, the featured character – Jack-Jack – was still an infant. For those peaking up from the rocks they’ve been living under, it’s been over a decade since the first film. So what’s going on? Well, Pixar CCO John Lasseter talked about that in an interview with IGN. He clarifies that The Incredibles 2 will begin “a minute” after the last one. He went on to describe the Underminer sequence that closed the previous movie, and stated that the next one would be picking up with that scene and a “big old set piece.” So it looks like the movie may very well be ignoring the almost 15-year time gap between itself and its predecessor. Barring the possibility that the movie will jump forward in time right after that scene. So then comes the obvious question? Is this a good thing?
Maybe. Does it matter? It’s not likely that fans of the movie would mind. They’ve been clamoring for a sequel for years. Meanwhile, Pixar has generated a third Toy Story movie (with a fourth on the way), a sequel to Finding Nemo, a Monsters Inc. prequel, two Cars sequels, and a Cars spinoff that got its own sequel (plus another spin-off, coming up, set in space). People have been extremely patient with Pixar. Of course, there is something to be said about the lack of an Incredibles sequel, for all this time. Brad Bird has specifically said, in the past, that they had no intentions to do one until a story came to them. So regardless of whether or not the movie takes place 15 years later, it’s clear they have their idea.
And, really, would a more up-to-date setting make much difference? The first movie obviously plays fast-and-loose with time, as is. The opening sequence takes place in what is clearly an homage to the golden age of superheroes. It even comes complete with an art deco style, inspired by the Fleischer Superman shorts from the 40s. Which also heavily inspired Bruce Timm’s direction for the DC Animated Universe. Then the time jump introduces the world to an era that clearly wouldn’t exist yet, given the amount of time that passed. And yet it still had a number of retro elements.
But then there’s the alternative argument. The first movie dominantly takes place on an island, far removed from society, and run by a man whose genius is beyond even today’s standards. Combined with the movie’s clear disregard for real world time, it would be easy for them to introduce more modern elements, without movie without actually changing the movie’s established time period.
Fans shouldy be happy, regardless of the time period, as long as the film stays at least on par with the first. The Incredibles 2 is slated to release June 15, 2018.
