Jack Black Regrets Turning Down Role of Syndrome In Pixar’s The Incredibles

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Jack Black recently revealed he was offered the part of Syndrome in Pixar’s The Incredibles but ultimately turned it down – a decision he now regrets. Syndrome, the villain who goes from admiring superheroes to trying to eliminate them, is often considered Pixar’s greatest villain of all time.

During an interview with Capital FM to discuss his new film, Anaconda, Black was asked about a role he regretted passing on. He jokingly explained that naming the movie he’d turned down would make the actor who did get the part feel bad, like they were only the second choice.

So, get this – I found out I was offered the part of Syndrome in The Incredibles, but honestly, I turned it down at first. I hadn’t really heard of the director, Brad Bird, and the character just seemed a little flat to me. I actually asked them to give him more layers! It wasn’t until after the movie came out and I saw it that I realized what a brilliant choice it would have been. Seriously, check out what I had to say about it below.

I’m going to explain this because I don’t mind sharing. I was offered the role of Syndrome in The Incredibles – it’s actually one of my favorite movies – but I turned it down. I asked for a rewrite, thinking the character was a little flat and needed more depth. I wanted to see more layers to the villain. Brad Bird, the director, wasn’t interested in making those changes, and I ended up regretting my decision. When the movie came out and became a huge success, I realized how much of a mistake I’d made by being so difficult!

Jason Lee provided the voice for Syndrome, and even after 22 years, The Incredibles remains one of Pixar’s most beloved films. Critics overwhelmingly agree, giving it a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Since The Incredibles, Pixar has given us other memorable villains like Lotso from Toy Story 3 and Ernesto de la Cruz from Coco. However, many consider Syndrome to be the most truly villainous. The idea of a villain motivated by rejection and a desire to hurt those they once admired feels especially relevant today, as we see increasingly negative behavior from obsessive fans.

Jack Black was still early in his career when he decided not to voice the character of Syndrome. The movie School of Rock was released just a year before The Incredibles. Several of his other well-known films, including King Kong, The Holiday, Kung Fu Panda, and Tropic Thunder, came out after The Incredibles was already a hit.

Almost twenty years later, he landed a role as the villain Bowser in Universal’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which was a major opportunity. The song he performed as Bowser, called “Peaches,” quickly became incredibly popular online, and he’s now reprising the role in the next movie, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.

From roles in films like Super Mario and A Minecraft Movie, Craig T. Nelson continues to be a prominent figure in popular culture, even after finishing his work as Syndrome. While his career has flourished independently of The Incredibles, it’s recently been revealed he was considered for another famous villainous role before becoming known for his animated characters in Kung Fu Panda and The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

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2026-01-04 17:48