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Daily Read: Cinema

Rob Minkoff to Lead AI-Assisted Film Storm Dogs

Rob Minkoff, the co-director of Disney's The Lion King, is in advanced discussions to serve as the creative lead for the upcoming film Storm Dogs. The project is being developed by Particle 6, the creators behind Tilly Norwood, and is expected to begin production in 2027. The family comedy-drama follows a toddler named Poppy who must navigate her way home through an English village after a storm separates her from her caretaker. To bring the story to life, Particle 6 plans to use a hybrid production model that combines live-action performances with photorealistic animated characters through artificial intelligence. This technological approach aims to apply the physical expressions and inflections of human actors directly to animated figures. According to the production company, using AI for the toddler and animal characters will also reduce the time young children and animals need to spend on set. Tilly Norwood creators emphasize that while they are using emerging tools, all creative decisions will remain in human hands.

· Variety

The essential points

  1. 01The Lion King co-director Rob Minkoff is negotiating a creative lead role for the upcoming film Storm Dogs.
  2. 02The production will utilize AI to blend live-action performances with photorealistic animated characters for the main cast.
  3. 03Particle 6 intends to use artificial intelligence to capture human physical expressions and apply them to animated figures.
  4. 04The film's development aims to minimize the time required for toddlers and animals to be present on set.
The full brief

Rob Minkoff, the co-director of Disney's The Lion King, is in advanced discussions to serve as the creative lead for the upcoming film Storm Dogs. The project is being developed by Particle 6, the creators behind Tilly Norwood, and is expected to begin production in 2027.

The family comedy-drama follows a toddler named Poppy who must navigate her way home through an English village after a storm separates her from her caretaker. To bring the story to life, Particle 6 plans to use a hybrid production model that combines live-action performances with photorealistic animated characters through artificial intelligence.

This technological approach aims to apply the physical expressions and inflections of human actors directly to animated figures. According to the production company, using AI for the toddler and animal characters will also reduce the time young children and animals need to spend on set. Tilly Norwood creators emphasize that while they are using emerging tools, all creative decisions will remain in human hands.