Comprehensive information and links about The Incredibles

The Incredibles was "presented" by Walt Disney Pictures and released by Buena Vista Distribution in the United States on November 5, 2004, and in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland on November 26, 2004. It was released in a two-disc DVD (in both widescreen and full frame versions) in the U.S. on March 15, 2005. According to the Internet Movie Database, the DVD was the highest-selling of 2005 with 17.38 million copies being sold.

It was written and developed by Brad Bird, former director of was originally developed as a traditionally animated movie, but after Warner Bros. shut down its animation division, Brad Bird moved to Pixar and took the story with him.

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Fifteen years ago, the world's superheroes were overwhelmed by lawsuits over the damage and injuries that sometimes resulted from their rescues. In exchange for immunity from these suits, the "supers" retired from heroics, and the government relocated them with civilian identities. Now Bob Parr, formerly Mr. Incredible, lives a quiet suburban life with his wife Helen (formerly Elastigirl) and their three secretly super-powered children. Bored with this life of mediocrity, he occasionally sneaks out with his friend Lucius (formerly Frozone) to fight crime and protect the innocent.

Upon receiving a mysterious benefactor's invitation to be a hero again, Mr. Incredible leaps at the opportunity. However, the "benefactor" turns out to be a villain named Syndrome who carries a grudge: as a boy, he had idolized the superhero, even going as far as inventing machines that would allow him to become "Incrediboy," but Mr. Incredible squelched that dream in an attempt to protect him. Thereafter he dedicated his life to eliminating superheroes while he perfects a destructive robot that only he will be able to defeat with his inventions; he plans on unleashing it for a while then defeating it so that he will be seen as a hero.

It's up to the rest of the Parr family to save Mr. Incredible, and to stop the robot after Syndrome loses control of it.

(6 ft 6 in (2 m), 350 lb (159 kg)) The "hero's hero", Bob possesses tremendous strength and reasonable resistance to harm. He also has a sixth sense that enables him to sense imminent danger. Trapped in a dead-end job as an insurance adjuster, he reminisces about "the glory days" when he was celebrated for using his abilities to save people. His supersuit, designed by Edna Mode, shows no additional abilities other than having much the same toughness as his own skin. It's safe to say that his powers are identical of that of the Thing from the Fantasic Four.

in a variety of ways shown in the movie including becoming a parachute or a rubber boat. She is a dedicated spouse and parent and is frustrated with her husband's continuing dreams of glory. Her indestructible Edna Mode supersuit can stretch as far as she can. Her powers show similarity to Mister Fantastic, The Elongated Man or, to a lesser extent Plastic Man (she lacks his additional ability to radically morph his (4 ft 0 in (1.22 m), 65 lb (29 kg)) Dashiell aka Dash can run faster than the eye or any camera can see. Dash would like to go out for sports, but his mother Helen (aka Elastigirl) won't allow it because she thinks that he would show off his superspeed and blow the family's civilian cover. His supersuit is resistant to air friction and won't wear down when he runs in it. His powers are like The Flash or Quicksilver, among many other comic book super-speedsters.

(5 ft 3 in (1.60 m), 90 lb (41 kg)) Stuck at the cross-roads between girl and woman, Violet desperately wants to be like everyone else, to blend in with normal people and not to stand out. Appropriately, her superpowers allow her to turn instantly invisible and to generate spherical force fields to protect herself, similar to Marvel Comic's Invisible Woman. During the movie she and Dash combine their powers to create the Incrediball, where Violet generates her forcefield around herself and Dash who runs so that they both move at an incredible pace and block out anything attacking them. Her character development constitutes a major side-story in the movie, despite the fact that Violet herself isn't shown in very many scenes (due to the extreme complexity involved in animating her long, flowing hair). Violet's name alludes to "shrinking violet", which means a shy person (usually a girl) or as a reference to ultraviolet light, which is outside the visible spectrum. Edna Mode designed a supersuit that turns invisible when Violet does.

Violet's invisible and force field powers are essentially identical to those of Invisible Woman of the Fantastic Four.

(2 ft 6 in (0.76 m), 25 lb (11 kg) Jack-Jack is the cute baby in the Parr family and he can barely talk, as evidenced when Lucius rings the doorbell ("Hello?"). According to a guidebook published by DK Multimedia, his hair never needs hair gel. Initially believed to be the only family member without any powers, he manifests a multitude of superhuman abilities at the end of the film, most of which involve some form of bodily transformation. The short film included on the DVD further reveals what happened during Jack-Jack's time with the babysitter. Even more superpowers are demonstrated in this short. According to a collectible poster included with some Incredibles toys, still more powers are disclosed. In total, Jack-Jack's shown powers include:

Bodily transforming into living metal (presumably iron or lead, as he is demonstrated to be very heavy in this form), similar to DC hero Metamorpho and X-Man Colossus.Bodily transformation into a physically strong, slightly larger red-skinned creature with somewhat demon-like features, perhaps vaguely inspired by the Incredible Hulk.Either silent teleportation or superspeed (He instantly shifts from place to place by unknown means, but the poster says that it is the latter) similar to the X-Man NightcrawlerPhasing (the ability to become intangible and pass through solid objects), coupled with a slow anti-gravitational floating effect, reminiscent of X-Man Shadowcat.Possible invulnerability or feral transformation, as he apparently chews through the wooden bars of his playpen, although it is not shown exactly how.Ability to project destructive energy beams from his eyes, which can be deflected by a mirror, akin to Superman's famous heat vision or, to a lesser extent, X-Man Cyclops' optic force blasts.X-ray vision (the ability to see through many types of obstacles), akin to Superman's own X-ray vision.

Although no individual classic superhero character possesses so many varied powers, the closest examples would (at a stretch) be the DC characters Metamorpho and, especially, the Martian Manhunter, who has many thematically unrelated abilities such as flight, super-strength, invisibility, morphing, telepathy etc. Another possible inspiration could be the little known Marvel character, The Answer. Due to experimentation by the Kingpin, The Answer would develop whatever power was needed to diffuse a particular situation (e.g. flight to evade an explosion or bullet proof skin when shot at.)

There is also an undeniable similarity between Jack-Jack and Franklin Richards (the mutant child of Reed and Sue Richards of the Fantastic Four) who could do practically anything (some examples being his creation of a world and his aging himself to about his mid-twenties).

Although Edna Mode did not know what powers Jack-Jack might develop, she covered her bases by making him a fire- and bullet-proof kicksuit.

Creator Brad Bird explains on the DVD that Jack-Jack's varied abilities are a metaphor for how young children have infinite possibilities ahead of them in life.

(6 ft 2 in (1.88 m), 180 lb (82 kg)) A long-time friend of the family, Frozone has the power to emit ice or snow from his fingers, and has a number of gizmos that help him in skiing on snow and similar feats. He is limited by the amount of water in the air and the amount of water in his . During the movie, it is suggested that he has adapted to civilian life much more easily than his long-time friend, Bob Parr, though he still possesses a command center of sorts, as well as his super suit and all of his old gadgets in working condition. His powers are similar to Iceman from the X-Men (although unlike Iceman he does not "armour" his This misguided villain was once Mr. Incredible's "greatest fan." In an attempt to earn his hero's respect, Buddy Pine tried to aid him in fighting crime as "Incrediboy", with gadgets he had invented in his spare time, as well as showing plenty of "gee-whiz" spunk. Instead of respecting him as the sidekick he wished to become, Mr. Incredible kicked him out on the curb—quite literally. Out of bitterness, he recreated himself as an evil genius that plotted revenge on his former idol. The DVD Directors' Commentary seems to point out that his complete lack of conscience (he allowed missiles that he shot at an airplane carrying Helen, Dash, and Violet to continue attacking after Helen revealed the children's precense on the plane, and later bet Mirage's life in a showdown when Mr. Incredible threatened herThe Incredibles is due to schizophrenia, making him a mad scientist. After his initial plans were foiled, Syndrome planned to abduct Jack-Jack and raise him as a sidekick, but failed. Syndrome's cape got caught in his jet's intake and sucked him in. If not for the engine's blades, the explosion immediately following seems to point towards the conclusion that he was killed.

He has no physical powers, but is incredibly intelligent, invented numerous weapons (including weapons exploiting zero-point energy, which today is only in the theoretical stage) and is very rich. Rich enough to own his own island, a mansion on the island, multiple rockets, and guards. His lack of powers combined with intelligence and apparently vast resources can be compared to the villain Doctor Doom or the hero The Batman, among many other comic book characters. The 1960s aesthetics of his lair as well as the portrayal of his henchmen and elaborate plan involving rockets and public deception are also highly similar to various early villains.

Syndrome's red hair, freckles (particularly when a child in the opening scenes) and bursting enthusiasm are strongly reminiscent of Superman's not-quite-sidekick Jimmy Olsen.

Syndromes spiked red hair perhaps bring to mind the Heat Miser from the 1974 TV movie The Year Without a Santa Claus.

is Syndrome's seductive right-hand woman, and possible accomplice in the murder of many "supers". Despite several hints at a more intimate relationship between Mirage and Buddy Pine (Syndrome), nothing is explicitly stated in the movie. Moreover, it is not known whether or not she herself is a "super", although she did say "" in the message she sent to Mr. Incredible. Though seemingly at ease with Syndrome's casual regard to murder, she nonetheless does have a "line" which she refuses to cross. This line is apparently children since in the movie, she doesn't show any objections to murder until she hears Helen (Elastigirl) screaming over the radio "" as missiles are flying at Helen's jet. She appears to have extensive computer and espionage skills.

is an eccentric fashion designer who formerly designed the costumes for many members of the superhero community, saying that she "used to design for gods". To that end, not only does she take the aesthetics of the clothes into account, but also their practical uses such as protective qualities and accommodation to the powers of the wearer. Edna's no-nonsense personality and round glasses are a direct homage to Edith Head, the legendary Hollywood costume designer, perhaps with nods to Elsa Klensch and Anna Wintour. Edna Mode also appeared with Pierce Brosnan to present the Academy Award for Costume Design at the 77th Academy Awards. Edna "E" Mode is also a definite parody of the gadget designer branch in the James Bond movies, the "Q" branch.

The film's creators originally couldn't find an appropriate actress to voice Edna. Finally, when asking actress Lily Tomlin to voice Edna, Brad Bird provided an example of what she should sound like. Tomlin told Bird that he had nailed the voice well, and said that Brad should do the voice himself — which he did (with its unique German (voiced by Pixar animator Bud Luckey), a government agent who was once part of the NSA (National Supers Agency) and now oversees the Superhero Relocation Program; some feel he looks like Richard Nixon and sounds like Ronald Reagan. Others feel he bears a resemblance to Tommy Lee Jones and is a play on the Agent K character he played in the Men in Black movies (concealing supers as opposed to alien visitors).

, Jack-Jack's babysitter while the Parrs are away. At first, she thinks she can handle Jack-Jack, but the animated short

U.S. box office take

Its opening box office sales in the United States exceeded that of Pixar's previous animation films. At the time of its release, its opening-weekend attendance ranked fifth in 2004, behind . It was ranked 14th among all opening-weekend results at that time.

All figures in United States dollars.

The movie grossed a total of roughly $259,000,000 in the United States, and $366,000,000 in foreign markets, making it the fifth- and fourth-highest-grossing movie, respectively, of 2004. It is Pixar's second-highest-grossing movie, after

The Incredibles two-disc Collector's Edition DVD set was released on March 15, 2005. Two versions of the set are available: one widescreen and the other full screen (this is unlike releases for other Pixar films, which often contained both versions in one set). Like many other DVD releases, there are various extra features available on the two discs including:

"Jack-Jack Attack" - An animated short that involves a subplot of the main film that explains how Jack-Jack develops his newfound powers and uses them on his babysitter, Kari. was originally intended to be integrated into the film footage, but was removed for pacing reasons.A Pixar short film "Boundin'" (04:40) in which an avuncular Jackalope teaches a lamb how to live with himself. This short was played before "The Incredibles" in numerous theaters. The short was written and narrated by veteran animator, Bud Luckey and includes optional commentary. Pals" cartoon which employs the use of Syncro-Vox, a cheap animation technique, and features an optional commentary supposedly by the "real" Frozone and Mr. Incredible.Other hidden easter eggs. These can be accessed on Disc 1 by going to the commentaries menu. Wait for about 30 seconds, and a silhouette of Mr. Incredibile will appear in the lower right hand corner. Select it for an easter egg. On Disc 2, on almost every menu, after waiting for several seconds (waiting time varies per menu), an omnidroid will appear in the upper right hand corner. Select it for the easter egg.

Merchandising

Several companies released promotional products related to the movie. Dark Horse Comics released a limited series of comic books based on the movie. Kellogg's released an Incredibles-themed cereal, as well as promotional Pop Tarts and fruit snacks, all proclaiming an "Incrediberry Blast" of flavor. Furthermore, in the weeks before the movie's opening, there were also promotional tie-ins with SBC Communications (using Dash to promote the "blazing-fast speed" of its SBC Yahoo! DSL service) and McDonald's.

In Europe, Kinder chocolate eggs contained small plastic toy characters.

In Mexico there has been a craze about the movie, literally hundreds of items are being sold there, with several of them being exclusive to Mexico. Already many stores around the country have been reporting being completely sold out of certain popular items.

In Belgium, car manufacturer Opel sold special 'The Incredibles' editions of their cars.

In the United Kingdom, Telewest promoted blueyonder internet services with branding from the film, including television adverts starring characters from the film.

In all merchandising outside of the film itself, Elastigirl is referred to as Mrs. Incredible. This is due to a licensing agreement between DisneyPixar and DC Comics, who previously had a character named Elasti-Girl and owned the license to the name. DC Comics claimed the name because of a character named Elasti-Girl in the series Doom Patrol. She was able to grow and shrink at will from microscopic size to thousands of feet tall.

also spawned a video game for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo GameCube, PC and the Apple Macintosh. The game features 18 levels, and has five playable characters. They are:

Mr Incredible: Used for most of the game, he spans 11 of the levels. While his techniques are the same, his clothes change:Following The Incredibles' defeat of Syndrome in the Walt Disney Pictures presentation of the Pixar Animation Studios film, a new threat emerges beneath the ground with a diabolical plot to pollute the major cities of the world and rule over humanity from below. Fans will be able to pick up from where the film left off and relive the glory days as Mr. Incredible and Frozone, superhero best friends who team up to tackle a new villain, The Underminer.An appearance of the Cal-State Animation School inside joke A113 appears in the middle of the movie, when Mirage tells Mr. Incredible to report to conference room A113., are the names of actual streets in Emeryville, California, the home of Pixar Studios' headquarters.According to one of the extra features on the DVD, other Superteams in this "universe" are Beta Force, the Phantasmics and the Thrilling Three. The final is disbanded.Apogee, Blazestone, Blitzerman, Downburst, Gamma Jack, Gazerbeam, Hypershock, Macroburst, The Phylange, Plasmabolt, Psycwave, Stormicide, Tradewind, Universal Man, and Vectress are supers that were killed by an Omnidroid.Dynaguy, Meta-Man, Splashdown, Stratogale, and Thunderhead are supers whose capes contributed to their deaths.Five of the aforementioned supers do not have audio files in the Special Features DVD and Rick Dicker gives the following reasons:"Macroburst audio file incomplete - damaged during mission. Audio file for Macroburst mission recovered, but determined incomplete by NSA (National Supers Agency) Division Delta.""Audio file for Meta-Man found missing. Assumed confiscated during surprise attack by Baron von Ruthless.""Audio file for Plasmabolt erased inadvertedly due to Plasmabolt's electromagnetic aura. See IGEL to re-record.""Stratogale's mission audio file deemed incomprehensible - suspect either faulty recording equipment or a high level of ambient wind noise."Some of the supers are named after figures in the gaming industry; in particular, Blazestone resembles Blake Stone, a game developed by Apogee.When Jason Lee's character, young Buddy Pine, is introduced onscreen, Bob struggles to remember his name. He initially calls Buddy "Brodie," a hat-tip to Lee's role in Mallrats.Numerous super-hero characters and others (including Edna Mode, Dynaguy, and Thunderhead) can be seen briefly as guests during the wedding of Robert and Helen Parr.The costumes were also based on those of the musical superhero band The Aquabats, who had a television series in development with Disney years ago and wear similar costumes. One reason is that Brad Bird was in charge of their graphics and comic books in the last few years. one might drink Blert Cola (displayed on a billboard as Mr. Incredible and Frozone drive to the fire.)In the scene where Bob Parr accidentally breaks the car door and begins to mutter to himself, you can briefly hear him saying "Oh Geez." It was a phrase of frustration commonly used by Craig T. Nelson's character on the tv sitcom Coach.The score to the film was composed by Michael Giacchino. At Bird's request, it is a stylistic tribute to the action scores of the 1960s, such as John Barry's scores for the James Bond franchise, which combined swinging big band and jazz lounge music with symphonic action scoring. The score was recorded in analog, and Giacchino also elected to forgo the standard practice of recording each soundtrack element separately, recording the orchestra, brass and percussion simultaneously in the same room.The Incredibles suggest several similarities to the Marvel Comics group The Fantastic Four. Besides the various similar powers shared by both groups, the costumes are also simliar in theme (at least in regards to the more classic FF costumes). There is also the fact of both team leaders having a "Mister" in their names. Even the baby, Jack-Jack, who can effect a seemingly endless variety of powers, suggests a similarity to Franklin Richards (the mutant child of Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman) who had virtually limitless power. Yet another similarity is seen between the Underminer (the villain who appears at the end of the film) and Fantastic Four's oldest foe, the Mole Man. is mentioned when Bob and Lucius are recounting the old days. In Lucius' story, Von Ruthless is about to kill Frozone with a death ray when he starts "monologuing (another name for — see deathtrap)" — a classic villain mistake. He gives a long speech about "how feeble that I am compared to him, how inevitable that my defeat is, how the world will soon be his." In fact, Lucius says that Von Ruthless "has me on a platter, and he won't shut up." In the special features disk, he is given the blame for the disappearence of an audio file for Meta-Man during one of his surprise attacks. Baron Von Ruthless is also a name that was suggested when WWE wrestler Steve Austin was searching for a new name that suggested evil and cold hearted, along with Ice Dagger and Chilly McFreeze. He chose Stone Cold instead.Veteran Disney animators Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas have character and voice cameos at the conclusion of the final battle sequence. Brad Bird had them both appear in cameos previously in The Iron Giant. Sadly, Thomas did not live long enough to see the finished film.The DVD has a Hindi audio track. Why this was done is uncertain, but in the Hindi track Bob Parr was voiced By Sharukh Khan.

Awards

The film won the Oscar in 2005 for Best Animated Feature as well as Best Achievement in Sound Editing. It also received nominations for Best Original Screenplay (for writerThe Boeing design team responsible for developing the Boeing 747 was known as "The Incredibles," because of the incredible speed with which they worked - only four years from proposal to finished aircraft - and because of the incredible risk that the company took on by undertaking such an ambitious project (which, if it failed, would have ruined the company).