Jack Black Played a Villain in Beloved Superhero Movie

Jack Black addressed a long-standing casting “what if” during a recent interview. He revealed his regret over turning down a major role in a beloved superhero film. The actor explained why he initially passed on voicing the movie’s main villain. He also shared how his perspective changed after seeing the final result.

Why Jack Black turned down the Syndrome’s role in The Incredibles

In a Capital FM interview, Jack Black revealed he turned down the role of Syndrome in Pixar’s The Incredibles. He said, “I was offered, and I do regret it, saying no. I was offered Syndrome in that fantastic movie The Incredibles—one of my favorites of all time, by the way.” He declined the role because he had not heard of the director Brad Bird and felt the character lacked depth.

Black explained, “I said no because I was like, ‘Uhhh, Brad Bird? Never heard of him! This character that you’re offering me is like a villain, but he’s kinda one-dimensional. I’m interested but I’d like to see a rewrite. Will you add some dimensions to this character?’” According to Black, Bird responded, “Yeah, you’re done,” and moved on with casting.

The role of Syndrome eventually went to Jason Lee. The character became one of Pixar’s most well-known villains, and The Incredibles earned critical acclaim, including a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film remains one of Pixar’s most celebrated releases over two decades later.

When Jack Black turned down the role, his career was still gaining momentum. He had just released School of Rock in 2003, while his animated hits like Kung Fu Panda and The Super Mario Bros. Movie came years later. In the latter, he voiced Bowser and performed the viral song “Peaches.”

Black reflected on his decision, saying, “I learned a valuable lesson because when that movie came out, it was one of the best movies ever made. And I was like, ‘Why was I being so difficult?!’” He identified this missed opportunity as a significant regret.

Originally reported by Vritti Johar on SuperHeroHype.

Source: Comingsoon.net