Craig T. Nelson reveals the secret ingredient that sets The Incredibles 2 apart from all regular superhero movies
The Incredibles is a superhero movie that manages to distance itself from other superhero movies, as ardent fans of the flick will testify. But the man behind the voice of Mr Incredible seemed to have no clue that the movie would garner such massive cult following.
Speaking to TooFab, actor Craig T. Nelson reveals that once the 2004 animated action/adventure film was able to take the box office by storm, he was ready to rush to the studio and begin working on the sequel, which is set to release on June 14. Yet the sequel didn't happen for over 13 years, even though the original gathered $633 million worldwide.
"I thought we were gonna do it like 11 years ago!" Nelson, who voices Bob Parr/Mr. Incredible shared with the outlet. "When we did the first one, we didn't know what it was gonna be, and then it hit and it got bigger and bigger. This thing got big. I didn't know! So then when it gets that big, you think, 'Oh, we're gonna do another one! Nothin'. Nothin'. Then about the fourth year, you say, 'OK, well, forget that.' And you move on to something else."
And even though Nelson was aware of the rumors that had been circulating for years around the sequel, he didn't have a serious idea in motion until he came across the original's writer and director, Brad Bird. "I saw Brad, and he says, 'Hey, you know, I'm thinking about [a sequel],'" Nelson said. "And I thought, 'Really?!' You hear stuff, but you don't know for sure. You have this tendency as actors to say, 'Well, when it happens, it'll happen.' Then all of a sudden, it did."
But the reality of the world booming with superhero flicks by now was not lost upon him and that is a concern he had put forth to Bird too. And that's how the lead for the sequel was handed to the character of Helen Parr/Mrs. Incredible. It was Bird's idea to set the movie apart from other all those other flicks and even though Nelson had his initial moments of weariness, he shares that it turned out to be "so much fun."
"It was wonderful because I got the chance, as a character, to get to know [my kids] and instill in them what I believe and what I think," he said. "And at the same time, having to deal with my wife going out and saving the world when I should be, and yet wanting to help her and assist her and empower her in some way to do the best job she can."
And being married to wife Doria Cook-Nelson for over 30 years only inspired him further for the role.
"I'm more than willing in my marriage to take a backseat anyway," he said. "It's just a given! I'm in the backseat. All you're trying to do is essentially not compete with each other, but you're doing the best you can for each other and with each other to make each other the best possible person they can be. Hopefully, you're in a relationship where each other can nurture those talents in each of us that are the best or are the ones that you want to see put out there. It's discovering that that's the interesting thing."
Apart from Elastigirl (Mrs. Incredible) being assigned a top-notch crime fighting new job in "The Incredibles 2", Nelson said that the sequel has "a lot of aspects to it that are timely and interesting and confrontive." According to him, the "heart" and progressive concept of the film make it so "wonderfully accessible" - something that is also a relief from the "big escapism" banner that most usual superhero flicks offer.