An Easter egg in The Incredibles referenced Jason Lee’s role in Kevin Smith’s movie Mallrats. Released in 2004 and directed by Brad Bird, The Incredibles was Pixar’s take on superheroes at a time when Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy and Fox’s X-Men franchise was taking off. The movie was another huge hit for the blossoming animated studio, as it earned rave reviews and made over $600 million worldwide at the box office.
The Incredibles followed the story of Bob Parr aka Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) as he gets back into the superhero game after superheroes were outlawed. He’s married to Helen Parr aka Elastigirl (Holly Hunter), and they have three kids together: Violet, Dash, and Jack-Jack. The Parr family are the heroes of The Incredibles, but every hero needs a villain. When it comes to Pixar’s superhero story, that role is filled by Buddy Pine aka Syndrome (Jason Lee). Syndrome is an excellent villain in The Incredibles, as Jason Lee’s voice performance only elevated the character.
Prior to landing the role of Syndrome in The Incredibles, Jason Lee received his breakout acting role in Kevin Smith’s 1995 film Mallrats. He played one of the lead roles as Brodie, who is obsessed with comic books and lacks motivation. This launched Lee’s career and a fruitful partnership with Kevin Smith, one that eventually led him to joining The Incredibles. Since Pixar’s movie is heavily rooted in superheroes and comics, the movie included a reference to Lee’s Mallrats character. During the beginning of the movie, Mr. Incredible’s mission is interrupted by his wannabe sidekick, Buddy Pine. When Mr. Incredible is trying to remember his name though, one of the names he calls him is Brodie.
The Incredibles didn’t have to include this reference to Jason Lee’s Mallrats role, but the shoutout for Brodie is fitting and fun. It was the role that changed Lee’s life and Brodie isn’t too far off from Buddy. This isn’t even the only reference of this kind that The Incredibles includes. The movie also references Samuel L. Jackson’s role in Die Hard with a Vengeance by recreating one of his scenes with Frozone. In both cases, the Easter eggs are subtle enough that only hardcore fans will notice them right away, while others may only learn about them through rewatches or the internet.
Following his role in The Incredibles, Jason Lee has had the opportunity to play Brodie again. He returned to the role in 2019 for Jay and Silent Bob Reboot as one of the film’s many cameos from the View Askewniverse. Lee’s days of playing Brodie might not be over still, as Kevin Smith continues to tease that Mallrats 2, currently titled Twilight of the Mallrats, will happen. Perhaps it will be in that movie that everything can come full circle with a reference to Lee’s role in The Incredibles as Syndrome.
