Denzel Washington Joins the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Denzel Washington is officially set to make his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther 3. The Academy Award-winning actor is a relative newcomer to the superhero genre, making his upcoming MCU appearance all the more exciting. While his role has yet to be revealed, his presence in the untitled Black Panther sequel will add an extra level of notoriety to the film.
Although Washington hasn’t been a major player in the superhero genre thus far, he hasn’t been afraid to share his opinions on it. The actor revealed his tremendous taste when he named his favorite superhero movie of all time. Not only is Washington’s favorite superhero film an excellent choice, but it’s also about to get a sequel in the next few years.
Denzel Washington Loves Pixar’s The Incredibles
During a Reddit “Ask Me Anything” event in 2014, Denzel Washington put to rest any speculation as to his favorite entry in the superhero movie genre. “That’s a tough one,” the actor began, “But you know who I really dug? When I was on vacation a few years back, and I sat, and I said I’m going to watch The Incredibles. Man, that is one of my favourite movies of all time now!” To emphasize his excitement for the film, Washington concluded his comment with, “Did you ever see INCREDIBLES? I love that movie!”
The Incredibles follows a family of superheroes who are forced to hide their powers in an age when superpowers are no longer tolerated by the public. When the down-and-out Bob Parr gets the chance to relive his glory days as part of a secret new job, he accepts without a second thought; however, he eventually comes to realize that the true source of his happiness comes not from his job, but from the family he’s built for himself. The 2004 film is one of the most acclaimed entries in the Pixar canon, holding a whopping 97% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes and an 8/10 score from users on IMDb.
The Incredibles even went on to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Washington’s pick may not come from Marvel or DC Comics, but it’s certainly a respectable choice. Pixar’s animated classic is considered one of the best superhero movies of all time, which is impressive given that it doesn’t adapt any well-known source material and came out long before the genre was part of the mainstream. More than twenty years after its release, The Incredibles is still a beloved staple of the superhero genre.
Countless superhero movies have come out since Washington sang The Incredibles’ praises. The actor was particularly complimentary toward 2018’s Black Panther, especially due to his close relationship with the late Chadwick Boseman. Washington’s favorite superhero movie may have changed in recent years, but given his enthusiastic praise for The Incredibles, it seems unlikely.
Why The Incredibles Beats So Many Other Superhero Movies
The Incredibles is a superior entry to the vast pantheon of superhero movies, beating out the vast majority of the genre to this day. Even more than two decades later, the Brad Bird-directed classic is a near-perfect superhero movie. It outdoes even modern superhero films with their big budgets and mind-bending visual effects. This is because, at its core, The Incredibles is a film about family, not superheroics and giant killer robots.
The Incredibles are themselves inspired by Marvel’s Fantastic Four, a family of superheroes who fight each other just as much as they fight villains and world-ending catastrophes. Whereas it took decades for a Fantastic Four movie to adequately capture this premise, The Incredibles does so in one perfect film that effortlessly balances the struggles, strengths, and support that come with being a family. While not everyone can relate to having a family of superheroes, The Incredibles mirrors every family in some shape or form.
It is for this reason that The Incredibles is so rewatchable to this day. Some of its effects may be dated, but the film speaks to universal and timeless themes that won’t ever go away. In an age where some superhero movies seem to have forgotten how to connect with audiences, movies like The Incredibles still maintain their high level of popularity because they appeal to everyone— from the everyday moviegoer to a top-notch Hollywood star like Denzel Washington.
Incredibles III is in Development
Twenty-one years after the original film hit theaters, the Incredibles franchise continues to expand. After years of vying for a sequel, fans finally got to revisit the Parr family in 2018’s Incredibles 2. While not as widely praised as its predecessor, the second film was met with mostly positive reactions for its continued focus on family dynamics while expanding its fictional world of superheroes. Seven years later, Incredibles 2 is finally getting a sequel.
Pixar confirmed last year that Incredibles 3 is officially on the way, continuing the story of the Parr family for at least one more adventure. This isn’t surprising given the billion-dollar haul of the second film in 2018. Peter Sohn will direct the upcoming sequel, taking over for Brad Bird, who directed the previous two installments. However, Bird remains attached to the sequel in a development capacity and will most likely reprise his iconic role as the superhero designer, Edna Mode.
While Incredibles 3 does not yet have a release date, the film won’t hit theaters until 2028 at the earliest. This leaves at least a ten-year gap between the upcoming film and Incredibles 2 (which is still better than the fourteen-year gap between the first two movies). Story details are still being kept under wraps, and likely won’t be revealed until the film gets closer to its release date.
If Incredibles 3 manages to maintain the proper focus on its central family, it will continue to outshine even the biggest-budget superhero movies from other franchises. There is something intrinsically special about The Incredibles, which has kept the franchise from falling out of public consciousness for the past two decades despite long breaks between installments. While Pixar may rely too heavily on sequels these days, Incredibles 3 is one continuation that most fans are excited about.
The Incredibles and Incredibles 2 are available to stream on Disney+.
