Meet The Incredibles

This is one of the first pictures from The Incredibles - Disney's new animated film that is set to be a box office hit this Christmas.

On the surface, the Parrs are your typical all-American suburban family of mum, dad and two-and-a-half kids. But there's one big difference about this cartoon family - secretly they are all superheroes.

Father Bob is retired crimefighter Mr Incredible and wife Helen is his old sidekick Elastigirl. Children Violet and Dash have their own superpowers - and, as for baby Jack-Jack, who knows what the future will bring?

The new £50 million family film opens in England next month. Audience reaction to its first press screening earlier this week suggests it could be the biggest hit yet for the Pixar animation studios.

Since the release of Toy Story in 1995 their movies Toy Story 2, A Bug's Life, Monsters Inc and Finding Nemo have grossed almost £1.5 billion worldwide.

Its biggest hit so far is Finding Nemo, with takings of £480million putting it eighth in the list of the most successful films of all time.

The Incredibles will also have a starring role in this year's Regent Street lights - to be switched on after the film's West End premiere on 7 November in Leicester Square, at an event including an outdoor concert.

In the film, the family are forced into retirement after Mr Incredible is sued by a man he has saved from suicide against his wishes. They hide their superpowers, and raise a family, for 15 years until Bob, frustrated by civilian life, gets back in touch with old friend Lucius, the ex-superhero Frozone.

Before long they are back to their old crimefighting ways and the film turns into a spoof spy adventure when Mr Incredible is summoned to a remote island for a top-secret assignment.

There he encounters Syndrome, a Bond-style super-villain who is hatching a plot that threatens to destroy the whole planet - and endangers Bob's young family.