INCREDIBLES 2

Could this be a Parr-fect sequel? Pixar finally brings our favourite superfamily back to the big screen…

We have films now where a director makes a hit film, and the next film he does is the sequel,” says Brad Bird. “I always think, like, cleanse your palette a bit. Go out and do some other things, and then come back to it.” The writer/director of Pixar’s The Incredibles has been true to his word, having directed Ratatouille, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol and Tomorrowland in between his films about the Parr family.

Eager fans perhaps felt particularly affronted by the hiatus because The Incredibles seemed almost tailor-made for sequel potential. By the end of the first film the family were using their powers in unison, with a new villain emerging. That was 14 years ago in the real world, but in story terms, time hasn’t moved on. Bird has picked up exactly where he left off. “I didn’t want to do a lazy sequel,” continues Bird. “I wanted to do something that had energy in it, and felt related to the first film. It finally dawned on me that it’s been a while, and if I want to do another Incredibles, I’d better get going on it.”

Of course, there’s also the small matter of those fan expectations to deal with, but Bird doesn’t seem daunted. “Look, there’s a million ways you can scare yourself out of doing something. I don’t think we think about, ‘Oh, wouldn’t that be awful if we disappoint people?’ It’s more like, ‘Hey, what would we like to see in an Incredibles movie?’ And then we play with that idea. So it’s more like playing with toys – favourite toys.” Total Film visits the Pixar Studios in Emeryville, California, to get a closer look at some of those wonderful toys…