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Incredibles 2 Gets Seizure Warning Because of Intense Scene
Disney has asked that movie theaters warn patrons about certain scenes in Incredibles 2 that contain strobe lights after viewers took to Twitter to offer the warning themselves. The movie contains several scenes with flashing lights that could potentially be dangerous for viewers with epilepsy or other light-sensitive conditions.
Incredibles 2 arrives 14 years after Brad Bird's The Incredibles was released. The original film became one of Pixar's most beloved movies and, with a clear sequel tease, fans have been asking for a followup for more than a decade. However, it wasn't until recent years that Bird dedicated himself to Incredibles 2, but all that work paid off. Incredibles 2 debuted to strong reviews, becoming Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. But some viewers noticed that a few scenes could be potentially dangerous to certain moviegoers due to the strobe lights used. The lights are integral to the plot of Incredibles 2, as they are the villain’s weapon of choice, and as such, the scenes cannot be cut from the movie in future releases.
Disability blogger and activist, Veronica Lewis brought attention to the potentially dangerous Incredibles 2 scenes in a thread on Twitter. Lewis seems to have been the first person to initiate the conversation regarding the movie. She warned that there were multiple scenes spread throughout the film, one with 90 seconds of continuous strobe light and others lasting from five to 30 seconds. She wrote:
“I am not calling for a boycott of Incredibles 2, or to change the movie. It is very well done, and the strobe lights are an important point in the plot. I just wish Disney/Pixar and theaters alike would issue a warning that the movie contains several scenes with strobe lights. Video games, some music videos, live concerts, theme park attractions, and even consumer electronics provide warnings about strobe lighting effects and the potential for seizures and other adverse effects. Why not have the same thing be done for a movie targeted at kids?”
It is unclear when Disney found out about Lewis’ efforts but Variety reports the company was notified and the campaign has been a success. Disney has since asked all theaters showing the film to include a warning about the strobes lights. Lewis has posted pictures of warnings in several different movie theaters, and thanked Disney.
No incidents have been reported yet, but Lewis is right to be concerned. In 1997, Pokemon aired an episode titled “Pokemon Shock” that contained a sequence with flashing red and blue lights that sent 685 children to hospitals in Japan. The episode has not been aired since. Hopefully, Lewis' successful campaign will mean other movies will follow by example and post warnings in theaters without prompting from viewers.
Incredibles 2 has broken box office records. The movie has grossed $180 million over the weekend, which makes it the fifth largest superhero movie debut, and the sixth highest grossing opening weekend of the year. The fact that a company as large as Disney responded so quickly to these concerns about a popular movie is heartening, and will perhaps motivate both this studio and others to make sure similar warnings are included before their films when necessary.
