After 14 years, the wait is finally over. The long-awaited and desired sequel to Disney Pixar’s The Incredibles lands in theaters. Though 14 years have passed for us, the film picks up right where we left the Parr family all those years ago: in a face-off with The Underminer. The film’s plot centers on Elastigirl becoming the poster child for a campaign that wants to bring superheroes back into the limelight, which leaves Mr. Incredible to take care of all the normal day-to-day tasks of fatherhood. Fans have waited for what has felt like an entire lifetime for a sequel to arguably one of the greatest superhero films to ever be released, and in an age where the superhero film rules supreme, Disney Pixar couldn’t have picked a better time.

Robert Parr, better known as Mr. Incredible, is the father and husband of the Parr family. Robert is also one of the world’s most iconic superheroes who just like many other supers, was driven underground when super-vigilantes were banned. One of Roberts greatest qualities is that he wants to save the world and as many people as he can. Robert’s belief in using his abilities for the greater good is something that has definitely rubbed off on the rest of his family. Mr. Incredible exhibits all of the typical superhero qualities like kindness, bravery, heroism, compassion, and selflessness. Mr. Incredible gained his name because of his incredible superhero abilities of super strength and near invulnerability. Considering his roles as a father, a husband, and a superhero it was important to cast someone who could perfectly portray a balance between those roles, and the first person to come to mind was Family Guy’s Patrick Warburton.

Helen Parr is the mama bear of the Parr family–often acting as the mediator and voice of reason and authority in the Parr household. She is extremely intelligent, resourceful, and more than the mother and housewife that people seem to have written her off as. At the height of the golden age of superheroes, Elastigirl was one of the greats. She was daring, brave, cunning, and able to find a way through any situation. Back in the day she was firm with her goal to show the world that heroes weren’t just men, and that women were more than capable of donning a super suit and an alias. She has an intense wit and love for her family, but it translates into her being overprotective and wanting to make sure that no one finds out about their secret powers and identities. She wants everyone to be happy and is willing to go through incredible (no pun intended) lengths to make it happen. Tracey Ellis Ross instantly came to mind when I thought of who could portray Elastigirl. Her role as Rainbow Johnson on Black-ish is the perfect example of her ability to play a character who is not just a wife and mother, but also her own person outside of her roles and dedications to her family. 

Violet Parr is the eldest of the Parr children. Violet, like many teenagers, desperately seeks acceptance and to fit in with her classmates. She wants more than anything to blend in with everyone else and to not be noticed, which is only heightened by her shy and uncertain attitude. Like most siblings, Violet and her younger brother Dash are consistently at each other’s throats due to their differing personalities. Where Violet is shy and uncertain, Dash is extremely cocky and in-your-face. Violet is extremely intelligent and she–much like The Fantastic 4’s Invisible Woman–has the ability to generate forcefields and turn invisible. I had a very difficult time finding an actress that could perfectly portray Violet’s struggles and character arc throughout the film, but I chose Jessica Sula because of her ability to portray shy timid characters who are still discovering themselves.

Dash is the middle of Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl’s three children. He has all of the typical characteristics of a boy his age: bursting with more energy than he knows what to do with, full of rebellion, and the idea that he knows everything. Dash’s abundance of energy and cockiness often get him in trouble, not just with his parents, but also in school. Dash and his older sister Violet are constantly at each other’s throats due to their extreme differences in personalities. Dash has superspeed much like The Flash and Quicksilver. While he is young and still figuring out his powers, young Dash already has the ability to run on water. With a character as energetic and full of life as Dash, it was a no-brainer who I wanted to portray the young speedster, and that is none other than Black-ish’s own Miles Brown. Miles Brown has perfect comedic timing and just like Dash, he is full of energy.

Frozone is one of the characters that we see the least in the original film, but he’s also one of the characters that leaves the biggest impressions. Frozone is one of Mr. Incredible’s best friends, and by extension, a Parr family friend. He acted as the Best Man in Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl’s wedding. At the height of the superhero era, he was one of the top heroes out protecting the streets. Frozone has the ability to manipulate and freeze the water molecules in the air granting him all sorts of icy abilities. Frozone is eager and energetic, and while he has adjusted to civilian life a lot better than his best friend, he is still always ready when he’s needed. With a character so full of energy and eagerness I knew that would require an actor who could perfectly embody those characteristics. Aside from Samuel L Jackson, my instant thought was the amazingly talented Orlando Jones.

The embodiment of fashion, fierceness, and attitude Edna Mode is one of the fashion world’s most iconic designers, as well as costume designer to the biggest superheroes. As a character, Edna is the best at what she does. She knows it and doesn’t have a problem expressing it. Edna is confident, revolutionary, and extremely intelligent. Part of Edna’s charm is her confidence and incredible intelligence, which plays into the fact that she not only designs clothing, but she  also designs superhero suits. Suits that have to withstand and often counteract certain elements. Edna is more than proficient in the fields of physics and engineering, which is the source of one of her most famous lines from the film: “NO CAPES!”. With a character as dramatic and animated as Edna, I knew I had to have an actress who could perfectly serve me attitude, confidence, and boldnes, and that’s when Margaret Cho immediately popped into my head. Cho is insanely hilarious and has been a huge advocate of self-love and confidence, so who better to rock the glasses and haircut?

Back in the day Syndrome–who was known as Buddy Pine–was a huge Mr. Incredible fan, to the point that he actually wanted to be his sidekick. Back then Syndrome idolized Mr. Incredible. He wanted to do any and everything he could not just to impress his idol, but to also prove his worthiness to help him in his mission against crime. However, no matter how hard Buddy tried Mr. Incredible rejected his help and him becoming his sidekick. After a final rejection, Buddy would eventually grow up to become a wealthy weapon and arms designer and dealer. He would use his fortune and his skill set to one day adopt the supervillain identity Syndrome, and devise a plan to not only get revenge on Mr. Incredible, but on all retired supers. When I was thinking of who should play Syndrome quite a few actors came to mind, but the one that stuck out the most is Jonah Hill. Hill has the ability to be both dramatic and comedic–two skills that anyone who plays Syndrome has to possess. He would be able to perfectly portray a young man who seeks revenge on the idol that he believes betrayed him and tossed him to the wind.

With The Incredibles 2 earning amazing reviews, which are calling it “better than the original” hopefully Disney doesn’t take another 14 years to give us the next entry into the Parr family story. A big thank you to Geeks of Color’s own Elena a.k.a @LaCheps for the amazing graphics.