Brad Bird on The Incredibles 2 and Star Wars: Episode VII

Earlier this week it was revealed that Pixar has at least one other sequel in development beyond 2015's Finding Nemo follow-up Finding Dory; while Toy Story 4 must surely be at the top of any list, it wouldn't be too much of a surprise to see the Disney-owned animation studio attempting to capitalise on the current superhero boom with a sequel to 2004's smash hit The Incredibles. However, judging by comments from director Brad Bird, it seems we can probably scratch The Incredibles 2 from the list of possibilities for the time being, although the two-time Oscar winner has revealed that he's certainly open to continuing the adventures of the superhero family.

"I have been thinking about [The Incredibles 2]. People think that I have not been, but I have," said Bird in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. "Because I love those characters and love that world. I am stroking my chin and scratching my head. I have many, many elements that I think would work really well in another [Incredibles] film, and if I can get ‘em to click all together, I would probably wanna do that. I like the idea of moving a little more quickly in films. I’m looking for ways to accelerate the pace a little bit and figure out a way to keep creative control over these movies to a level where I’m comfortable with the end result but also speed them up a bit and make more of them. I have many different films I wanna make. It’s like a big airplane hangar and I have different projects on the floor; half-assembled in my brain. I’m interested in all of them. You kind of have to move on the ones people are willing to pay for and the ones you’re most excited about."

Having made his live-action filmmaking debut in 2011 with the Tom Cruise-headlined spy sequel Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, it was rumoured that Bird was a candidate to tackle Disney's upcoming Star Wars sequel prior to the appointment of Star Trek Into Darkness helmer J.J. Abrams. Bird he went on to confirm that Lucasfilm did approach him about Star Wars: Episode VII, although he chose to decline their offer in order to focus on another Disney project, the mysterious sci-fi Tomorrowland:

"I’ve known Kathy [Kennedy] for a while and I know George [Lucas]. And they did come to me. But the problem was, the schedule they had in mind made it impossible to do…unless I dropped Tomorrowland. And I was just really deeply into this film at that point. It’s easy to say, 'Just put it on hold.' But you’re moving now; you don’t know if you’re going to be able to move later. Maybe it’s true of filmmakers like Cameron or Spielberg, but I have to act on momentum. We had reached a critical mass where it would’ve thrown the furniture around from the train stopping. I really want to see this movie. I love the Star Wars films, and I can’t wait to see what J.J. does, but it meant I’d have to shut down one dream to participate in another. I feel like [with Tomorrowland] we’re making something that’s really special and unique."

Tomorrowland is currently slated for release on December 19th, with a cast that so far includes George Clooney (The Descendants), Hugh Laurie (House) and Raffey Cassidy (Mr Selfridge).