Jack-Jack’s Impressive Superpowers-#Incredibles2Event

INCREDIBLES 2 – (Pictured) Jack-Jack. ©2018 Disney•Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

If you are a fan of the Incredibles then you probably got out this weekend to see the wonderful sequel. There are 14 years between the first Incredibles movie and its new sequel Incredibles 2, but one thing that’s thrilling to see pay off in both films is watching baby Jack-Jack play with his various powers, sometimes at the expense of the family. When Disney invited me to Pixar Studios in April on a press trip to learn all about the Incredibles 2 and how the film was made, we also learned how animators not only developed Jack Jack’s powers but what it took to pull it off.

In the first movie, the only people who see Jack-Jack’s powers are the babysitter, Kari McKeen, and the villain, Syndrome. The Parr family missed out on the aerial fight between Syndrome and Jack-Jack, and they’re certainly not home when he tortures the unwitting babysitter.

“We studied how babies move,” says supervising animator Tony Fucile. “They have all kinds of quirks that only careful observation revealed—the way they walk on their toes or catch themselves when they fall. There is a blend of athleticism, when they can control themselves—and awkward wobbling, when they can’t.”

The toddler’s makeover includes a chubbier face and body, with added articulation in his face since he’s more expressive in the film.

Supervising Animator Tony Fucile is photographed on March 20, 2018 at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, Calif. (Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar)

The first movie left the big question of Jack-Jack’s powers gave this sequel a big payoff potential. Everyone knew that Jack-Jack had multiple powers, but the Parr family did not. So, everyone knew that Jack-Jack was going to play a big role in any new film.

The Baby-Jack-Jack and raccoon fighting sequence is one of the most funniest scenes in the movie. It is so enjoyable to watch Jack-Jack display all of his powers, against this animal who fights back.

Concept art by Teddy Newton. ©2018 Disney•Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

At one point in the new film, Bob Parr declares with a mixture of pride and fatigue that his son has 17 powers. But is Jack-Jack really the jack of that many trades?

In the original Incredibles, we see Jack-Jack turn into a baby made of flames, a baby made of metal, and then into a hobgoblin, all in an attempt to escape Syndrome’s kidnapping. We’re made to believe Jack-Jack’s power is polymorphism.

Now with The Incredibles 2, we know he’s got a lot more than that. Here’s the complete list of powers we’ve seen. (Spoilers ahead if you haven’t seen the film.)

Pyrokinesis/Bursting into Flames
Invisibility
Laser Vision
Levitation-He can hang out on the ceilings and walls
Multiplication-Splitting into more than one Jack-Jacks
Phasing-Moving through Closed Doors
Projecting Bolts of Electricity
Telekinesis
Teleportation
Transforming into a Heavy Metal
Demon Baby

That’s a total of 14 unique powers — not quite 17, so we’ll have to assume Bob was exaggerating. It seems like, for now, Jack-Jack is mainly a polymorph who chooses to take whatever the most convenient form is given his circumstances. He also continues to be delighted by Mozart, which seems to inspire an increase in power output, luring him toward other dimensions until he’s hungry for snacks.

MAD ABOUT E – When Jack-Jack’s many powers are revealed to his family—finally—in “Incredibles 2,” Bob finds himself turning to Edna for help. Featuring the voices of Brad Bird as Edna “E” Mode and Craig T. Nelson as Bob, “Incredibles 2” opens in U.S. theaters on June 15, 2018. ©2018 Disney•Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

INCREDIBLES 2 – (L-R) Bob Parr and Jack-Jack. ©2018 Disney•Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

According to effects supervisor Bill Watral, many of Jack-Jack’s powers are effects driven. But achieving the actual effects wasn’t the toughest task the team addressed. “One of our biggest challenges with Jack-Jack was maintaining the look of the baby— whether he’s turning to goo or on fire,” says Watral. “No one wants to see a burning baby, for instance, so we spent a lot of time making sure he was always appealing and funny.”

Tony Fucile (Supervising Animator) at Incredibles 2 Long Lead Press day, as seen on April 4, 2018 at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, Calif. (Photo by Marc Flores)

“We went back and looked at the old film,” Tony Fucile said. “What can we do with the old film to bring back that fleshy appearance? We fleshed him out more. The fat is really sitting on the shoulder to get nice round shapes.”

“We didn’t want Jack-Jack to be scary,” says Effects Artist Jason Johnston.

“Jack-Jack has many powers and they are all so fun to see how he uses them in the film,” says Johnston. “They were equally fun to create.”

The Pixar team stressed the importance that Jack-Jack’s powers are always funny and never scary or creepy.

You are going to love all the things that Jack-Jack can you do and your children are going to laugh so hard. If you have not had an opportunity, please go out and spend a family day at the movies and see Incredibles 2.

This has been a special opportunity for me to share all my insights from the trip with all my readers.