Brad Bird started his career with some of the most iconic animated features including The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, and Ratatouille. His films have been so memorable that they took no time to become cult classics among the fans of the genre. Interestingly, the director also became an iconic voice actor when he was forced to voice the character of Edna Mode in The Incredibles.
Edna “E” Mode from The Incredibles is regarded as one of the most memorable Pixar characters ever. Despite her brief roles in both installments, the fashion designer for the superheroes became an instant fan favorite. According to Bird, he only provided a temporary voice to the character before everyone realized that nobody else could incorporate that desired sassiness in Edna’s words.
How did Brad Bird land his role as Edna Mode in The Incredibles?
The Incredibles is often hailed as one of the greatest superhero movies and a significant brainchild from Pixar and Disney. For years, the movie has been irreplaceable among worldwide fans with its distinct style and storyline. However, Edna Mode, with her unique looks and bold choice of words attracted a different type of fan following over the years.
Before the release of The Incredibles, Brad Bird made an insanely underrated animated film, The Iron Giant. But it is doubtful if he ever imagined that he would be one of the memorable Pixar characters. Initially, the director provided scratch voices for many characters including Edna Mode and Bob Parr. These scratch voices are provided to the animators to work on the characters before the official soundtrack is created.
According to Screen Rant, the Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol director originally asked Lily Tomlin to play the role. But on hearing the scratch voices, the veteran singer cum actress asserted that only Bird could give that desired performance. As per a video by @didyoucatchthistv, story supervisor, Mark Andrews also confirmed that only the director could pull off the role.
Brad [Bird] does the voice of ‘E’ because he is the only one who can.
It cannot be denied that Brad Bird was always meant to ace the role of E. He revealed to the New York Post that he and the sassy fashion designer share some common personality traits-
At my most confident, I feel like her. She is absolutely convinced that her way is the right way, and if you disagree … you’re just wrong!
Brad Bird also added that the character was envisioned as a blend of half-German and half-Japanese. Edna Mode became such a popular character that she even graced the 2005 Oscar stage to present the award for Best Costume Designer alongside Pierce Brosnan. Besides that, she also got her own short film, Auntie Edna, released after 2018’s Incredibles 2.
Can we get another The Incredibles movie?
The Incredibles not only elevated the career of Brad Bird but also made a place among fans as a prominent Pixar film. Its 2018 sequel also became a significant hit for the makers. Now, according to Bloomberg, Pixar is also reportedly developing a third installment in the movie series.
Pixar president Jim Morris stated that the company is taking new measures to ensure a proper balance of original content and sequels and spin-offs. If the reports are to be believed then Finding Nemo and The Incredibles are in the forefront to receive new titles. Previously after the release of Incredibles 2, Brad Bird also expressed his interest in making a threequel.
While the fans will be hugely excited if we get any official announcement for The Incredibles 3 soon, it will also be a risky move. The makers must ensure that it is a worthy sequel and not a mere cash grab. Very often, we have seen how many memorable film series only release sequels to capitalize on the success of the previous hit.
The Incredibles 1 and 2 can be streamed on Disney+.
