Although Incredibles 2 was a mᴀssive success for the animated franchise, the sequel made a fatal mistake that I hope Pixar finally fixes with Incredibles 3. First released in 2004, Pixar’s superhero movie, The Incredibles, received widespread critical acclaim and earned $632 million at the box office worldwide. The 2018 sequel was an even bigger success, as, despite being released a shocking 14 years later, and Incredibles 2 earned $1.243 billion at the box office. As a result of the sequel’s success, the Incredibles franchise has been kickstarted again, and Incredibles 3 is confirmed to be in development.

Incredibles 2 followed the story of the first movie, joining the Parr superhero family where The Incredibles’ cliffhanger left off in 2004. While Incredibles 2 hosted a fantastic adventure, with the Parr family having to deal with their forced retirement once again, and the ongoing tensions surrounding “supers” and their collateral damage, in some ways, the Pixar sequel wasn’t the best. Having waited 14 years for a continuation of the animated superhero film, when Incredibles 2 was released, it was rather underwhelming. This, therefore, sparks worries about Incredibles 3, as Pixar’s upcoming movie could potentially make the same mistake.

Incredibles 2 Taking Place Right After The First Movie Was Underwhelming

After Years Of Waiting, Incredibles 2 Forced Us Back In Time

The fact that Incredibles 2 takes place right after the events of the first movie was rather underwhelming considering we spent 14 years waiting for the sequel. While it made sense to finish the Underminer story arc, as that was where 2004’s The Incredibles ended the movie on a cliffhanger, the sequel then continued the rest of the story at the same period of time. As a result, 14 years on, with plenty of superhero content in the interim, made Incredibles 2 feel a bit like a dated animated superhero movie, which fell into old tropes of The Incredibles’ time.

While that’s not to say the sequel wasn’t fantastic, as its astonishing $1.243 billion box office result can attest, but considering Incredibles 2’s delay broke Pixar’s record for time between sequels, fans expected something a bit fresher. Instead, Incredibles 2 mirrored the first movie’s tension between citizens and superheroes, forcing the family into retirement once again, and there was nothing particularly new or groundbreaking explored in the sequel. Furthermore, Evelyn was a rather weak villain in comparison to Syndrome and had stereotypical motivations. Consequently, as a whole, Incredibles 2 lacked in its delivery due to dated ideas and story.

The Incredibles Was All About Seeing How Much The World Had Changed

The Time Jump In The Incredibles Allowed The Narrative To Breathe

The main plot of Pixar’s The Incredibles was based around the Parr family being forced to live normal lives after superheroes were suddenly banned. At the beginning of the 2004 film, we saw the way that superheroes operate, and the damage that they can accidentally cause while rescuing people. As a result, the government introduced the Superhero Relocation Program, which stopped “supers” from using their powers in public. The Incredibles then had a 15-year time jump in order to deal with the effects of that decision to ban superheroes, making the movie explore how the world has changed since.

Incredibles 2 did not have a time jump, and simply continued where the first movie left off 14 years ago, with the Parr family battling the Underminers. The Parr family’s actions cause the Superhero Relocation Program to be scrapped entirely, forcing superheroes to live normal lives with no financial support. The sequel’s setup directly mirrors that of The Incredibles, much like how Incredible 2’s ending directly copies the first film’s suit-up scene, but this time, Incredibles 2 suffers without the time jump that allowed us to see the impact of the decision to ban superheroes, making the narrative feel rushed.

Incredibles 3 Should Include A Significant Time Jump (To Mirror The First Movie)

The Next Incredibles Installment Will Need To Be Different

In order to avoid the feeling of a rushed narrative, like in Incredibles 2, Incredibles 3 should include the time jump that was missing from 2018’s sequel. Announced to be “coming soon” at D23 in 2024, Incredibles 3 is in development with director Brad Bird returning. With the superheroes now accepted by the world for their contributions, as a direct result of the main plot points of Incredibles 2, the next installment will need to do something more than just debate the position of superheroes in society, as this topic has been covered in the last two Incredible movies.

A time jump plan may just work for Incredibles 3, as it would finally allow Dash and Violet to grow up into more adult superheroes, and Jack-Jack’s powers can be fully explored as he gets older. So far, Dash, Violet, and Jack-Jack’s story arcs in the Incredibles are limited due to their age. By pushing the narrative forward by a few years, a time jump for Incredibles 3 will allow for a modern approach to the franchise, exploring new dynamics, perhaps with the children finding their own way, mirroring the time jump in The Incredibles and avoiding Incredibles 2’s mistakes.