Rob Minkoff is in advanced discussions to develop and executive produce Storm Dogs, a new family adventure feature from Particle 6, the company behind AI actor Tilly Norwood.
Minkoff, the co-director of Disney’s animated hit The Lion King and director of Stuart Little, is expected to serve as the film’s creative lead. He will work closely with Particle 6 CEO Eline van der Velden to shape the story, characters and screenplay before production, which is currently slated for 2027.
A storm, a toddler and five unlikely rescuers
Based on an original idea by Van der Velden, Storm Dogs unfolds over 24 hours in an English village battered by a devastating storm.
The story begins when Poppy, a two-year-old girl, is unexpectedly separated from the adult caring for her. Five very different dogs are then forced to set aside their instincts and conflicts with one another as they attempt to carry her home safely.
The journey takes the makeshift pack through flooded fields, damaged bridges and countryside reshaped by the extreme weather. As the mission becomes increasingly dangerous, the mismatched dogs gradually form a family of their own. Their actions also challenge Poppy’s dog-fearing mother to view them differently.
Van der Velden said Minkoff’s experience with animal characters, comedy and emotional storytelling made him a strong creative partner for the project. She also described the film’s central production challenge: placing a toddler and five dogs at the heart of a story involving hazardous terrain and severe weather.
“By bringing performers, filmmakers and emerging tools together, we can attempt something unusually ambitious while keeping every creative decision in human hands,” she said.
Live action meets photorealistic animation
Storm Dogs is planned as a combination of live-action performances and photorealistic animated characters. The human roles will be filmed “conventionally,” while Poppy and the five dogs will be created through a process combining live-action performance, traditional filmmaking methods and emerging AI tools.
Particle 6 says its creative team is developing a performance-led system designed to transfer an actor’s facial expressions, movement, timing and emotional decisions into an animated character. According to the company, that approach is intended to allow the actor to shape and complete the performance rather than surrendering those choices to the technology.
Minkoff said his visit to Particle 6 in London introduced him to filmmakers focused on story, character and performance, as well as the possibilities offered by new production techniques.
“I have spent much of my career looking for ways to create animal characters who are funny, emotionally truthful and completely alive,” Minkoff said. He called Storm Dogs an opportunity to develop Particle 6’s approach around a story featuring “real jeopardy, heart and humor.”
Van der Velden also emphasized that she does not view AI as a substitute for human creativity. Instead, she said she believes the technology could change the filmmaking process by giving creators more freedom to realize ideas with fewer limitations.
“We are still in the pioneering phase of this transformation, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to help define how it can be used responsibly,” she said.
Particle 6’s expanding feature plans
The project follows the attention generated by Particle 6’s Tilly Norwood. The AI actor was launched last year at the Zurich Summit, the flagship industry event held during the Zurich Film Festival, prompting a global debate about AI’s place in entertainment.
Van der Velden is due to return to the Summit this year to discuss the aftermath of the viral Tilly Norwood story. Particle 6 is also developing Misaligned, a separate feature intended to star Tilly Norwood.
What Happens Next?
Minkoff and Particle 6 remain in advanced discussions over his involvement in Storm Dogs. Under the planned collaboration, he and Van der Velden will continue developing the screenplay, characters and wider story ahead of the proposed 2027 production.