Incredibles 2 is a film that fans have been begging for ever since the end credits began to roll on the first one -- but the sequel has certainly taken its sweet time getting here. With writer/director Brad Bird moving on to explore other projects, it's been nearly a full decade-and-a-half since we first saw the Parr family up on the big screen. That amount of time naturally led some to lose faith in the idea that the project was happening, and to turns out that Craig T. Nelson and Holly Hunter can be counted among them -- though the same cannot be said for Samuel L. Jackson. Click play on the video below to hear their thoughts!
Last week I sat down with the cast of Incredibles 2 at the movie's Los Angeles press day, and when speaking to the stars of the original film, my first question out the gate was in regard to their belief whether or not the project would ever actually happen. I asked if there was any point where they didn't think it was going to be made -- and while Samuel L. Jackson apparently always knew it was going to come together, both Craig T. Nelson and Holly Hunter revealed that they at one point did move on from the idea.
Citing their reasons why, the actors who play Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl said that they just felt the time had passed for Incredibles 2, Craig T. Nelson literally just saying, 'You give up.' For Samuel L. Jackson, though, what helped him believe was simply occasional contact with Brad Bird. The actor would sometimes see the filmmaker and ask for Frozone updates, and walked away from those interactions with confidence. Said Jackson,
[What helped me keep the faith was] just the fact that Brad was still making movies, and that every time I saw him and I said something to him about it he would go, 'That's going to happen!' One of the last times I saw him he said, 'I have a kernel of an idea.' 'Oh, okay!' That's hope.
So what was it like to get the call from Brad Bird and learn that Incredibles 2 was actually happening? For Samuel L. Jackson, it was essentially an, "About time" response, comedically comparing it to a phone call he may get in the not so distant future:
It will be the same thing that happens when they finally say, 'You know what, we decided Mace Windu's not dead.'
The best news of all is that the wait for fans is almost at an end. Featuring a supporting cast that includes Bob Odenkirk, Catherine Keener, Jonathan Banks, Sophia Bush and more, Incredibles 2 arrives in theaters this Friday, June 15th. Be sure to stay tuned here on CinemaBlend the next few days, as I'll be posting a lot more from my interviews with the cast and filmmakers!
