Today Pixar released details and clips about some new supers that we’ll be seeing in the highly anticipated The Incredibles sequel, presented by Sophia Bush (the voice of superhero Voyd). Watch below:
— Disney•Pixar's Incredibles 2 (@TheIncredibles) May 23, 2018
We’ve known about Voyd for a while now, but in this teaser her confident personality definitely seems to be shining through. She’s part of a team of ‘wannabe’ supers, and her power is creating voids or portals. Very interdimensional. It’s great to see the colour and style of the concept art for Voyd translating beautifully to the 3D medium.
In addition to Voyd, this teaser also introduced us to some other interesting supers: The Indestructible Brick, The High-Flying Screech, and Super Senior Reflux. And those, according to Sophia Bush, are “just the starting line-up”. The Indestructible Brick seems to be pretty self-explanatory, The High-Flying Screech can emit powerful screeches, and can also fly with the help of a pair of wings, and Super Senior Reflux…he has super-powered reflux. The ‘wannabe’ supers also include He-Lectrix and Krushauer, who can shoot lightning bolts and use telekinesis respectively. Have a look at this unlikely bunch below.
With the leaps in technology since the release of the original The Incredibles in 2004, it’ll be amazing to see the creative, exciting designs and powers of all the new supers we’ll be meeting in Incredibles 2. Elastigirl’s super stretching abilities were (there’s no better word for it) incredible from an animation standpoint in 2004 – just think of what Pixar might surprise us with now!
Happy Incredibles Day! Incredibles 2 is just a tad over a month away – Pixar are building the excitement by releasing more and more teasers, merchandise, and offers, and even announcing today (May 14th) as Incredibles Day. So what exactly does Incredibles Day entail?
1. Later today, Pixar will be streaming a liveshow on YouTube
This liveshow will be taking us inside Pixar, and we’ve been promised a “super sneak peek at new swag, activities, obstacles, and more.” The video will be being led by actress Ashley Eckstein. It’ll be starting at 4PM Pacific time. Watch below:
2. There’s an exciting Twitter giveaway going on!
If you live in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, San Francisco or Philadelphia, and you’re a fan of The Incredibles (which we’re sure you are), then follow the Twitter link below to enter the giveaway and be in with the chance of receiving a surprise today!
3. Vintage Toy Ads have been released for Frozone, Elastigirl, and Mr Incredible toys (and they’re amazing)
Pixar have posted retro commercials for their new Incredibles toys and they’re beyond entertaining to watch. They even have theme songs! Watch them below:
We hope everyone’s Incredibles Day turns out super! If you were lucky enough to win a surprise in the Incredibles 2 Twitter giveaway, be sure to let us know what you won on our own Twitter! (@upcomingpixar)
In case you missed it over the weekend: Pixar also recognised Mother’s Day with an Elastigirl TV Spot, jam packed with clips of her being a more-than-incredible mom. Here’s the video below:
For more than 13 years, we’ve heard your calls and pleas, Incredibles fans – and even though the wait is only just a touch over a month, we know that’s still too long to contain your excitement for the anticipated sequel to The Incredibles.
But we have some amazing news… you can now beat everyone to the punch by two whole days with exclusive advance screenings for Incredibles 2 – better yet, they’re now available to purchase!
There are a myriad of cinemas across the United States that will be hosting an advance screening on May 13th. In addition, some theater brands are offering super perks when purchasing your advance tickets:
If you want to watch Incredibles 2 on a huge screen that matches your huge eagerness, IMAX Cinemas will be screening a back-to-back screening of both The Incredibles and Incredibles 2 on May 15. As a bonus, you’ll also receive an exclusive commemorative mini poster.
Should you prefer watching the sequel at the nation’s third largest cinema chain, Cinemark will also offering a commemorative Incredibles 2 poster during opening weekend. (Available while stocks last.)
At Alamo Drafthouse, you can add an exclusive Incredibles 2 glass by Mondo when purchasing your ticket, alongside an Incredibles 2 sketchbook, both designed by artist Dave Perillo.
None of these chains work for you? You can still get your hands on an exclusive poster from Fandango – just buy your Incredibles 2 ticket through the platform. (Also available while stocks last.)
Pixar releases Incredibles 2 in cinemas across the United States & Canada on June 15th. Stay up to date on the latest Incredibles news & follow us on Twitter & Facebook.
Incredibles 2 is set to release in the US in just over a month (June 15th) – can you believe it? You can even book your cinema tickets now! Today we were given an extra sneak peek into the family life and superhero life of the incredible Parr family. Watch below:
Jack Jack continues to be very endearing, a stark contrast to his seemingly terrifying superpowers.
It’s great to see those familiar family dynamics coming back into play too – Violet’s seeming a little ‘sassier’ than usual, but what can you expect when your mom has some mysterious new superhero job, even though supers are still a bit of a contentious subject?
“What exactly *is* Mom’s new job?”
Pixar also released a little teaser today – take a look at some of the Incredibles 2 cast (Samuel L. Jackson, who voices Frozone, Sophia Bush, who voices Voyd, and Craig T. Nelson, who voices Mr Incredible) setting a few “ground rules” below. Look at those amazing crew shirts!
To celebrate the opening of Toy Story Land in Shanghai, China Eastern Airlines worked with the Shanghai Disney Resort to create an entirely Toy Story themed plane. The outside is boldly painted with a giant Buzz Lightyear. Let’s hope his flying is flying rather than “falling with style” this time! It took its first flight at the end of April.
And it’s not just the outside that’s been adorned with Toy Story characters and references – the inside really goes the extra mile. The ceiling is decorated with those familiar Toy Story clouds, and all the seats have one of the many popular characters on them, including Woody, Jessie, Rex, Trixie, and even Lotso (Lotso is a big thing in China – who knew?). Passengers are even served Toy Story themed refreshments, offered Toy Story themed headphones, and given commemorative Toy Story boarding passes to take away as a souvenir.
But Toy Story isn’t the only Pixar movie franchise that has been upgraded to first class – today, Pixar revealed the all new Incredibles 2 Alaska Air plane! To celebrate Alaska Airlines Aviation Day, the plane was unveiled today in Seattle and it couldn’t look more super.
“These characters are among the most celebrated characters in the Pixar family. After waiting 14 years to see them on the big screen again, fans will love seeing them on their Alaska Airlines plane, too.”
(Incredibles 2 producers Nicole Grindle and John Walker)
Pixar also posted timelapse footage, showing how the Incredibles 2 plane came to life. Watch it below:
If you look closely, you’ll see a very concerned raccoon on the tail of the plane, almost as if it’s holding on for dear life. This raccoon has been hinted as being Jack Jack’s arch nemesis in the eagerly awaited Incredibles sequel.
It’s amazing, and oddly inspiring, to think that these planes are making flights in our skies at the moment – the sky’s the limit! Or is it? Here’s some news that’s a bit more cosmic in ambition: NASA have named two of their satellites after WALL-E and EVE, the lovebird robots from 2008’s WALL-E. They’re to be launched into space this weekend, on course for Mars!
The satellites are maybe a bit of a one-off thing, but it seems likely that Pixar themed airplanes will be something we’ll see again in the future! Let us know if you’re ever lucky enough to book a flight on one of them.
June is going to be a big month for Pixar fans! Not only will Incredibles 2 grace theaters on June 15th, but Toy Story Land arrives at Walt Disney World on June 30th! Lucky visitors to Disneyland’s Shanghai Resort actually got to experience Toy Story Land just last week. Here you’ll get to see some prized behind the scenes footage of the Imagineers as they brought this brand new world to life.
So what do we have to look forward to at the end of the month? Quite a ton, gaddily bob howdy! Check out these awesome construction photos (via Oh My Disney) of the new Slinky Dog Dash roller coaster.
Our favorite penguin will also be performing Toy Story‘s signature tune. That’s right, Wheezy is back and sounding better than ever before! He’ll be accompanied by tape recorder Mike and Mr. Spell.
Toy Story Mania is guaranteed to be another hit, with Oh My Disney reporting that guests will be tossing baseballs and cream pies at 3D objects, and that’s just what we know about it so far.
One of the reasons Toy Story Land is such an appealing addition to Walt Disney World is because it’s one of the most iconic movies ever. An attraction like this has been a long time coming. And certainly it’s worth the wait!
Will you be visiting Toy Story Land at the end of the month? Be sure to let us know here and on twitter, and stay tuned for more updates.
Pixar have sneakily been teasing more Incredibles 2 footage, and you may have missed it.
International trailers often contain different clips to appeal to different audiences, and this new Japanese Incredibles 2 trailer is no different. These international trailers can sometimes be a little more prone to containing things that could be considered spoilers, so tread carefully, but as someone who is usually very wary of spoilers, I wouldn’t consider this to be spoiler-heavy at all. Watch below:
Known as Incredible Family (インクレディブル ファミリー) in Japan, the new Incredibles 2 trailer focuses more on the individual family members, giving each of them a brief introduction and showcasing some of their heroic moments that we can look forward to seeing on the big screen this summer. There’s also more action-packed footage of the Underminer battle that presumably is the opening of the sequel.
From the latest US trailer, it’s already been established that Violet might be ‘having adolescence’, but this trailer goes even deeper and shows off some more of her amazingly exaggerated moody expressions.
Super siblings with attitude.
We also get to see Jack Jack being (perhaps deceivingly) very sweet, pointing to his mom when he sees her on the TV.
Loving how they’re reusing that old footage that played at the start of The Incredibles!
And what’s this?! Is this that raccoon we’ve been hearing so much about?
The raccoon character has already been teased in posters, concept art, and way back at D23.
All those new Elastigirl action scenes are definitely a welcome sight too.
The Japanese roughly translates to ‘human rubber mom – Helen’.
A Japanese Incredibles 2 poster has also been released. It seems like Jack Jack being adorable is playing quite a large role in their marketing strategy!
Stay tuned for more Incredibles 2 news – it’s sure to keep coming as the release date approaches! The US release date is June 15th.
Bao is Pixar’s new theatrical short that will be playing this summer in front of the Incredibles 2. It’s one of my favorite shorts from Pixar and it goes without saying – the film is full of scrumptious designs and a heartwarming story that will have you begging for more. If you haven’t yet, be sure to check out our review of the film.
During my most recent trip to Pixar I learned some fantastic things about the making of Bao from director Domee Shi, production designer Rona Liu, and producer Becky Neiman-Cobb.
(Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar)
(Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar)
(Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar)
Bao has two meanings in Chinese: steamed bun and to treasure something precious. Domee thought it would be the perfect title for a story about “a precious little steam bun.”
Domee’s #1 obsession in life, outside of animation, is obviously food (and I don’t blame her – I think about food 24/7). “I love food, not just eating it, but drawing it as well.” Before the days of Bao, Domee was making art about food and posting it online. You might remember some of the food related gags and little food-centric comics from her My Food Fantasies.
Domee was also inspired by food folk tales because “they’re so cute and strange – like the little gingerbread man and that one song, there was an old lady who swallowed a fly.” With Bao, she was inspired to do a Chinese version of all those folk takes she loved.
According to Domee, the first ingredient to Bao was obviously food and the second ingredient was what she knew best: growing up as an only child. Domee’s family was a small immigrant family that moved from China and lived in Toronto. Domee’s father worked a lot and because of that she spent a lot of time with her mom growing up. Her mom would hold her close whenever she could and treated her like a “delicate little dumpling.” When Domee started growing up and doing things on her own, it was hard for her mom to let go and she’d tell Domee,“I wish I could put you back in my stomach so I’d know exactly where you were at all times.” Domee even said, “It’s that creepy sweet love of a mom who doesn’t want to let go of her little dumpling that was the spark that became the heart of the story.”
Domee wasn’t only inspired by her relationship with her mom, but she was inspired by her. She is a “dumpling Queen.” Food was how Domee’s mom showed her love for her and they formed a special bond making dumplings together over the years for numerous holidays and events. “In Chinese culture, food and family go hand in hand. When you want to show that you care about someone and that you love someone, you don’t say ‘I love you’ you say ‘have you eaten yet?'”
Her mom was involved in the research for Bao. She’d come in to do “dumpling making demos” for the animators and effects and simulation artists.
(Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar)
The third ingredient for this short was Chinatown, specifically Chinatown in Toronto where Domee grew up. She wanted to honor that setting and the equally vibrant Chinatown grannies. “I wanted to celebrate their bold colors, their keen eye when it comes to picking out the freshest produce, and their determination to get the best deals in town.”
The style of Bao was inspired by 2D Japanese animation, especially the visual styles of My Neighbors the Yamatas and One Piece. Domee “loved how squishy the characters looked and how pushed their expressions were.”
Though translating 2D designs to 3D was the biggest obstacle Domee and her team had to get past. Some poses and expressions didn’t translate as well when it was created with 3D software, since 3D itself is its own medium. Some of the design aspects Domee wanted to pull from My Neighbors the Yamatas or One Piece were going to be an challenge, like the mother’s massive head and exaggerated limbs, but there’s nothing that a little planning can’t solve, especially in animation production. In the end, after trial and error, they were able to combine 2D graphic design and 3D modeling, which gave Domee range to achieve what she wanted.
Production designer Rona Liu “oversaw all the visuals in the film.” Her job was to work with the different departments to make sure the look was cohesive and adhered to Domee’s vision.
According to Rona, Domee wanted the short to look and feel very, very cute. It was also heavily influenced by Japanese folk art. She loved the “simple and graphic designs and the fact that a slice of life was the main subject… she wanted to borrow some of that philosophy with Bao, while keeping focus on the characters as much as possible.”
The patterns on the mother’s clothes supported her emotional journey throughout the film. When the mother is unhappy and lonely, Rona used muted colors. When the mother is happy, the colors were “bold and red and auspicious.”
The environment also played a supporting role to the characters. The background designs used throughout the short are not perfectly straight; if you look closely at some of the sets in the trailer and even when you see the film this summer, you’ll find that none of edges actually meet perfectly together, lines are wibbly wobbly. The mother’s house in particular had to reflect that she was an immigrant, a “blend of East meets West.” Rona had decided all the built-ins in the mother’s kitchen would be Western, while all the things the mother buys would be Chinese.
According to producer Becky Neiman-Cobb, the pork filling was the hardest thing for the effects artists to figure out. “It took two months for them to master the look and feel of the pork filling for the short.” What made the food effects so challenging was that, “we’re all experts as to what food looks like.” And food is the star in Bao, so“if it didn’t look perfect or believable it would pull the audience out of the story.”
Make sure you save lots of room for dessert because Bao is coming to theaters June 15th!
Earlier this month I was one of the first audiences to watch Pixar’s new theatrical short Bao. I’ve had a lot of time to think about the film since then, and I’m still 100% certain it might be one of my favorite shorts to come from the studio.
Bao is directed by Domee Shi and she just so happens to be the first female to direct a short film at Pixar. Although that fact alone is unnerving, considering the studio has been around for 30+ years and their Brain Trust has been notoriously male dominated; it’s inspiring to see the studio finally moving forward and giving others the opportunity to tell their stories.
Domee was born in China and raised in Toronto, which heavily influenced the setting and aesthetics for Bao. Domee is only 28-years-old and landed a Job at Pixar after graduating from college in 2011. Before her directorial debut, Domee was a story artist and had worked on The Good Dinosaur and most recently Inside Out.
(Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar)
Bao’s initial story started over 4 years ago – while working on Inside Out Domee was feeling that itch to make something herself, a film that was ultimately weird and uniquely hers. Domee had initially intended for the short to be her weekend gig, but when Pixar had an open call for short pitches, she decided to throw her story into the mix and see what would happen.
She first pitched it to Pete Docter, the director of Inside Out, Up, and Monsters Inc., to get his feedback. He was so passionate about the story and enthusiastic about her idea that she decided to pitch it to the studio. And obviously through their support and feedback Bao was green-lit as their next theatrical short.
Bao tells the story of a Chinese mother who’s dealing with an all too familiar feeling among parents: figuring out what to do with their life after their children have grown up and moved out. The empty nest syndrome soon evaporates when the mother discovers that one of the dumpling’s she’s about to eat suddenly springs to life. She’s given another chance at parenthood as she watches her baby dumpling grow up in the world around her. As the story progresses the mother realizes that what she wished stayed precious and innocent soon matures and grows bigger and “doesn’t stay cute forever.”
Without giving anything away, here’s what I absolutely adored about the short:
As with most of Pixar’s shorts, the entire film was done without any dialogue. There’s always so much that can be said with a glance or a simple touch that 10+ pages of dialogue can never achieve. There were so many precious and heartbreaking moments throughout the short between the mother and her baby dumpling that were conveyed beautifully through the animation, lighting, and overall character design. I don’t think I can even picture this film with even one line of dialogue.
The character designs were unique and definitely stood out from previous Pixar films. The characters depicted in the short, from the mother to some of the other human people she interacted with, had massive heads that were un-proportioned to their bodies, sort of like living breathing caricatures. While watching I sometimes wondered how these characters were able to keep balance and walk from one room to the other without tipping over. The overall design of the baby dumpling was both scrumptious and adorable, even when it got older and started growing a little scruff around its chin.
I loved the fact that FOOD was the star of this short. OK, baby dumpling aside, there were so many gorgeous close-ups of noodles and vegetables and delicious Chinese desserts that my mouth was watering for the duration of the short; I even had to look around to see if anyone heard my stomach grumbling. The amount of detail that went into the food was mind-blowing – there’s a scene towards the middle of the short when the mother prepares an epic feast for her and the baby dumpling and I still can’t get over the steam rising from the food as it sat on the table, waiting to be eaten.
I loved that we were able to be immersed in a different culture, albeit only being for 8-minutes. In Sanjay’s Super Team, the short that played in front of The Good Dinosaur back in 2015, we got a unique look into Sanjay Patel’s childhood and the Hindu traditions of his family. And the same happens in Bao as we experienced an inside look at Domee’s own relationship with her mother as she depicted the Chinese customs she was familiar with growing up.
Bao’s story was simple and effective; despite it focusing on Chinese characters and their culture, the messages and heavy themes depicted were universal. In Coco, the film relied on it’s story being told through Miguel and his Mexican culture, but the themes of death and importance of family heritage were both prominent and relatable to everyone all over the world. With Bao, the same can be said with the mother and her Chinese background but the themes of struggling to deal with an empty-nest and accepting your child will one day grow up could be understood by people from all walks of life. I’m not a parent, but I could relate to everything the mother went through based off when I first moved away from home.
Bao is also important to me because my family are immigrants. I was born in the United States but my Grandparents immigrated to the U.S. from Greece in WWII to escape the Nazi occupation. I’ve seen similar tales told in live action, but now with the help of Bao, Coco, and Sanjay’s Super Team, it’s helping those types of stories become accepted in the world of animation. I’d love to see more unique films come from the studio moving forwards and I only hope they’re giving more opportunities to talented artists like Domee Shi and Sanjay Patel so that they can tell stories about their families and life experiences.
I really can’t wait for you to see Bao in cinemas June 15th! Keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming post about the making of Bao, complete with more story and design inspiration.
I had the pleasure of watching the first 30 minutes of the Incredibles 2 at Pixar Animation Studios earlier this month. I’ve dreamed about visiting Pixar since I was a wee lass, imagining what it would feel like to walk through the atrium that’s nestled snugly in Emeryville and breathe the same air as some of my favorite storytellers. Don’t worry, there’s a separate post coming about visiting the studio for the first time. But in short, I honestly never thought I’d ever get to watch a film at one of my favorite places on earth.
(Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar)
I had goosebumps walking into the the screening theater in the Steve Jobs building and I might’ve (OK, I definitely) had tears in my eyes and the biggest smile on my face as the lights slowly turned off before the film. The ceiling then lit up and at first glance it looked like little fireflies were floating above us, as magical soft buzzing filled the theater. At that point I had died and gone to heaven.
Then without hesitation, the Incredibles 2 began. Tread lightly for some minor spoilers.
It’s been 14 years since we were last with the Parr family and the action started just where it left off. I was hit with a wave of nostalgia as I was greeted with the familiar faces of Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, Violet, Dash, Jack-Jack and even Frozone as they teamed up to fight against the Underminer in a stunning opening battle; it was almost like we had never parted.
I spent the night before my trip re-watching The Incredibles, so obviously the most jarring aspect for me was how stunning the characters and the world looked with the new technology. The super-suits were gorgeous and fit the characters bodies just right; their hair and facial expressions and all the visual effects were jaw-droppingly gorgeous and realistic. The action was also fast-paced and I barely had a moment to breathe as the family found unique ways to put the Underminer to a stop before he completely destroyed the city.
Though, it turns out the people of Metroville weren’t very keen on the Parr family helping to save the day. In fact the officers who apprehended the family after they thwarted the Underminer’s plans were convinced that if they had simply done nothing, there would have been less damage to the city. It’s clear the public is still not interested in supers or what they could do for the world.
Rick Dicker, who is head of the Super Relocation Program and helped the Parr’s out in TheIncredibles, makes a few cameos in the first 15 minutes. Dicker shows up to help the Parr family for the last time, as his program is now disbanded. The family is left at a dingy hotel to try and figure out what to do with their lives. How are they going to move forward? It’s hard for them to accept everything at first, surely Bob and Helen aren’t going to return to their mediocre civilian lives, not after Bob left his boring job in the first film and the family got to use their powers out in the open after years of secrecy?
Cue Frozone, who appears just at the right moment. He offers a shiny beacon of hope to Helen and Bob: a business card from Winston Deavor, tycoon and superhero enthusiast, with an invitation to come meet him at his headquarters. The other catch? He wants them dressed in their old super-suits. Bob is ecstatic, and nearly bursts through the walls of the hotel to find it, but Helen is cautious after their most recent kerfuffle with the law.
We then meet Winston at his massive high-rise building (which definitely left me with my mouth hanging open). We’re also introduced to his sister, Evelyn Deavor, who makes an entrance as she stumbles through the doors of his office with heaps of paperwork. Winston is the face of the company while his sister is the one who designs everything behind the scenes; she’s the one responsible for Elastigirl’s sleek new motorcycle and a slew of other nifty high tech gadgets. #GirlPower
Winston gives a presentation to the trio about how he wants to bring supers back into the spotlight and that Helen AKA Elastigirl is the woman for the job. It takes a lot of convincing from Bob, but Helen finally accepts. The rest of the footage from the press event showcased Helen as she was thrown into the spotlight, trying to make a living for her family while also being the new face of the superhero renaissance (complete with an impressive runaway train/chase sequence). We got a more detailed look inside the Parr’s new home, courtesy of Winston. Goodbye sad hotel, hello gorgeous mid-century modern mansion! There were also a few scenes that highlighted some of Jack-Jack’s strengths as he faced off against a new enemy.
30 minutes is obviously not a lot of time to judge a film, and despite it leaving off in a pretty safe place, who knows where the story will go or what will happen to some of the characters along the way. The first half hour set up the characters perfectly and what you think will happen for the remainder of the story. It’s still unclear what trouble Helen is going to come across in her attempt to make a good name for supers or if Winston and Evelyn are as good as they appear to be. Also, is Bob going to be able to cope with being a stay-at-home dad and take care of his family? I’m curious to see how the new villian Screenslaver, who appeared in the most recent trailer, will come into play.
There’s only one way to find out though… iron your good ol’ super-suit and fly to cinemas on June 15th! If you can’t possibly wait until then, just keep re-watching the trailer below (like me):
And make sure you come back for some more coverage from my most recent trip to Pixar!
