The Incredibles

Story

When the government forces Superheroes to go undercover, Mr and Mrs Incredible struggle to live a “normal” family life in the suburbs. Desperate to relive his glory days, Mr Incredible accepts a secret mission to fight a killer robot. Soon, however, he gets into trouble, and his family must step in to save him.

Why we chose it

What happens when a superhero is forced to lead a normal life? The Incredibles draws on family life and 1950s superhero and spy movies to create an action packed, comedy superhero spoof.

Where it came from

While writing The Incredibles, American director and screenwriter, Brad Bird, took inspiration from his own family life, as well as 1960s comic books and spy films from his childhood. Bird used traditional family stereotypes to give each character their superpower. For example, dads are expected to be strong, while mums are often pulled in a million different directions.

Where it went next

The film was the world’s fourth highest grossing film in 2004 and received numerous awards, including two Academy Awards. It was also the first entirely animated film to win the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation. Several video games based on the film have been developed, and a comic book adaptation has been published.

Associated stories

The film’s sequel, Incredibles 2, was released in 2018, and several short animated spin-offs have been produced, including Jack-Jack Attack (2005). Brad Bird also directed The Iron Giant (1999) Ratatouille (2007) and Tomorrowland (2015).