(THR) Disney and Pixar's Incredibles 2 has locked down its release date in the world's second-biggest box-office territory. The long-awaited Brad Bird-directed sequel is set to debut in China on June 22.
Coming 14 years after the original The Incredibles hit the big screen and became an instant classic, the sequel will enter a very different Chinese exhibition landscape. Back in 2004, when the Chinese economic miracle was just beginning to rev up, total box office in the world's most populous nation was $180 million. Last year, ticket sales in the Middle Kingdom totaled $8.6 billion.
The difference in earnings between The Incredibles and its sequel will undoubtedly reflect this growth. Animation previously underperformed in China, but in recent years top titles have been widely embraced by audiences of all ages. The Incredibles earned approximately $2.4 million in 2004. In 2016, Disney Animation's Zootopia ($235.6 million) was the highest-earning Hollywood film of the year in China, and Pixar's Coco earned a massive $189 million there last year.
Much of The Incredibles original voice cast reprise their roles in the sequel, such as Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Samuel L. Jackson and John Ratzenberger. New additions include Bob Odenkirk, Catherine Keener, Sophia Bush and Isabella Rossellini.
The story follows the Parr brood as they try to balance having a normal life with their superhero powers. Bob Parr (also known as Mr. Incredible and voiced by Nelson) is a house husband who must deal with son Dash's (Huck Milner) sarcastic remarks, daughter Violet's (Vowell) teenage rebellion and baby Jack-Jack's burgeoning superpowers while his wife, Helen/Elastigirl (Hunter), heads off to save the world. Soon, the whole family must suit up to battle a new villain, Screenslaver.
The film is set to open on June 15 in North America. It's currently tracking for a huge box-office debut of $140 million-plus stateside.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter by