Rob Minkoff to lead AI-assisted film ‘Storm Dogs’ for Particle 6

Rob Minkoff, co-director of Disney’s ‘The Lion King’ and director of ‘Stuart Little’, has joined Particle 6 as the creative lead for an upcoming AI-assisted film titled ‘Storm Dogs’.

The project, described as a family comedy-drama, follows a toddler named Poppy who must navigate her way home through an English village after being separated from her caretaker by a storm. Minkoff will collaborate with Particle 6 CEO Eline van der Velden to develop the script, characters, and story.

Particle 6 intends to utilize a production method that blends live-action performances with photorealistic animated characters using AI tools. This process aims to apply an actor’s physical expressions and inflections directly to animated characters. The studio noted that using AI to create the toddler and animal characters offers practical advantages in production. The film is currently targeting a 2027 production start.