It’s been 12 years since Pixar and Disney released The Incredibles, an animated CGI film about a superhero family who struggles with their various secret identities. The film was a glorious homage to the Golden and Silver Age of comic books, and a direct sequel is on the way, tentatively scheduled for 2019. When it’s released, popular culture will be probably at peak superhero – if it isn’t already.
“It’s very actively moving, and we’re excited about it,” writer and director Brad Bird told EW – it’s timed with the Blu-ray release of Bird’s other cult classic superhero homage, The Iron Giant. “[We’re] trying to take it in some new directions.” Bird also said The Incredibles 2 will retain the same characters but still aim for a new direction. “I mean, that’s the thick with a sequel. It’s repeating yourself, without repeating yourself.”
Pixar will definitely have to explore some new directions. In 2004, mass culture didn’t have nearly the amount of superhero films as it does in 2016, though I personally believe thinking “too many superhero movies” is erroneous. In 2019, when The Incredibles 2 is released, it’ll compete with Captain Marvel (starring Brie Larson), Shazam starring Dwayne Johnson, the yet-untitled Justice League sequel starring everyone, and the fourth Avengers film also starring everyone. And that’s in 2019, never mind the other superhero films we’re getting until that year. Although, come on, who isn’t excited for Black Panther?
