Lion King Co-Director Rob Minkoff in Talks for Family Adventure Storm Dogs

Rob Minkoff, who co-directed Disney's animated The Lion King, is in advanced talks to develop and executive produce Storm Dogs, a family adventure about five dogs and a lost toddler. Deadline reported the discussions on 25 September 2026.

The deal is not signed. If it is completed, Minkoff would serve as creative lead on the feature film. That role guides story and character choices from development into production.

Minkoff is known to family audiences for two very different hits. He co-directed The Lion King for Disney. He later directed Stuart Little, about a mouse adopted by a human family.

Storm Dogs comes from UK-based Particle 6 and is based on an original idea from its chief executive, Eline van der Velden. It is set in an English village during a devastating storm. It centres on two-year-old Poppy, who is separated from the adult caring for her, and follows five dogs as they work to bring her safely home.

The whole rescue unfolds over 24 hours. Five dogs. One child. One stormy night.

The film plans to mix live-action performance with photorealistic animated characters, meaning lifelike digital figures that move like real animals and people. Human roles will be filmed in the normal way. The dogs and Poppy will be created using live-action performance, traditional filmmaking techniques and emerging AI tools.

Particle 6 is developing a performance-driven process for that work. It is designed to translate an actor's facial expressions, physicality, timing and emotional choices into an animated character. Minkoff would work with van der Velden on the story, characters and screenplay before cameras roll.

Production is slated for 2027, according to the same report. Particle 6 is the company behind Tilly Norwood, an AI-created performer it introduced at the Zurich Summit during the Zurich Film Festival last year. The company also released a Tilly Norwood music video titled 'Take The Lead' in March, Deadline reported at the time.

For viewers, the interest lies in the blend. A veteran of hand-drawn animation and live-action family films would team with a young company working with performer-led animation. The next step is development, with story and script to be finalised ahead of the planned 2027 shoot.