Famed actor and comedian Jack Black almost had a major voice role in The Incredibles, but he rejected the offer.
Two decades after its debut, The Incredibles remains a crowning achievement in Pixar’s storied library, maintaining a cross-generational appeal that few animated features reach. The franchise’s enduring popularity has fueled a blockbuster sequel, alongside a sprawling ecosystem of video games, theme park attractions, and short films.
However, a surprising piece of production history has emerged recently: an A-list star was originally slated to join the cast in a major role.
Why Jack Black Rejected the Offer to Join The Incredibles
In a recent interview with Capital FM, Black admitted that his biggest regret in his acting career is turning down the voice role of Syndrome in The Incredibles.
He revealed that he rejected the opportunity because he had never heard of the director, Brad Bird, at that time, and he had demanded that the script be rewritten.
"I was offered, and I do regret it, saying no... I was offered Syndrome in that fantastic movie The Incredibles, one of my favorites of all time, by the way," the actor said.
"And I said no because I was like, ‘Uhhh, Brad Bird? Never heard of him!’ [I said to him], ‘This character that you’re offering me is like a villain, but he’s kinda one-dimensional. I’m interested, but I’d like to see a rewrite. Will you add some dimensions to this character?’ And he was like, ‘Yeah, you’re done.'"
Black added, "I learned a valuable lesson because when that movie came out, it was one of the best movies ever made. I was like, ‘Why was I being so difficult?'"
As everyone knows, Jason Lee ended up voicing Syndrome in the film, while Black has become a prominent voice actor years later, as he voices Po in the Kung Fu Panda franchise and Bowser in The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
Is There a Third Incredibles Movie in the Works?
Pixar is currently working on a third Incredibles movie, following the massive success of the second installment that was released in 2018.
However, Brad Bird will not return as director due to a commitment to another project, but he is still involved as the writer and executive producer. Instead, the third movie will be directed by Peter Sohn (Elemental). The plot details are still under wraps.
So far, no release date has been set yet, but it is planned to arrive in theaters sometime in 2028. More details should emerge regarding the highly anticipated installment in the coming months.
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