List of unproduced Warner Bros. Animation projects
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{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
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This is a list of unmade and unreleased projects by Warner Bros. Animation. Some of these productions were, or still are, in development limbo. The following included animated feature films, short films and TV specials and shows that were made by Warner Bros. Animation.
| id="toc" class="toc plainlinks" summary="List of Warner Bros. animated short films" Only years that had releases that were cancelled are listed. |
| Contents:
| 1990s: 1992{{·}}1993{{·}}1994{{·}}1995{{·}}1996{{·}}1998 2000s: 2000{{·}}2003{{·}}2004{{·}}2005{{·}}2006{{·}}2008{{·}}2009 2010s: 2010{{·}}2011{{·}}2012{{·}}2014{{·}}2015{{·}}2016{{·}}2017{{·}}2018{{·}}2019 2020s: 2020{{·}}2021{{·}}2022{{·}}2023 See also{{·}}References |
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1990s
=1992=
=1993=
| class="wikitable" | ||
| style="width:150pt;"| Series || style="width:100pt;"| Title || Description | ||
|---|---|---|
| Feature film | The Incredibles | In 1993, Brad Bird had sketched an idea of a family of superheroes during an uncertain point in his film career.{{cite video |people=Brad Bird, John Walker |title=The Incredibles. Special Features: Making of The Incredibles |medium=Blu-ray Disc |publisher=Buena Vista Home Entertainment |year=2011 |display-authors=etal}} During this time, Bird had signed a production deal with Warner Bros. Feature Animation and was in the process of directing his first feature, The Iron Giant and had pitched his idea for The Incredibles during production. However, after the box office failure of The Iron Giant, Bird gravitated toward his superhero story and pitched it to Pixar instead, and the film was released on November 5, 2004. |
=1994=
| class="wikitable" | ||
| style="width:150pt;"| Series || style="width:100pt;"| Title || Description | ||
|---|---|---|
| rowspan="3" | Feature film | Androcles | Modern Family writer Stephen Lloyd along with Jonathan Ehrlich (who would go to work on Hi Opie!) and Ann Carli of Crossroads and Fast Food Nation pitched an idea for an animated film version of the famous Roman folktale of Androcles with new songs by Michael Jackson for Warner Bros., but due to production problems going on at Warner Bros. Feature Animation, the film's production was shut down.{{cite web|url=http://www.copyrightencyclopedia.com/the-snow-queen-by-four-star-films-inc-king-tut-bluebeard/|title=The Snow Queen. By Four Star Films, Inc, King Tut, Bluebeard|website=Copyright Encyclopedia}}{{Failed verification|date=July 2019}} |
| King Tut | In 1994, Bill Kroyer, along with his studio Kroyer Films, was asked to co-produce Warner Bros. Animation's animated musical film of the early times of famous kid Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun (also known as King Tut) with new songs by Prince, but nothing came through and the production was likely cancelled due to some arguments between Kroyer and Warner Bros. However, a few of the concepts later went into Jay Stephens' animated TV show version of his comic Tutenstein, and the rest would be used for the Warner Bros. Spanish animated movie Moomios. | |
| Marco Polo | Warner Bros. Feature Animation had plans to make an animated epic movie based on and inspired by the life and times of famous explorer Marco Polo. However the film's production was canceled due to high production costs.{{cite web |title=Concept art for a scrapped Warner Bros. Feature Animation film based on the famous explorer Marco Polo. |url=https://twitter.com/TheMediaMines/status/1671861757835444225 |website=Twitter |date=2023-06-22}} | |
| DC Animated Universe | Teen Titans | Warner Bros. Animation originally considered producing an animated television series based on the Marv Wolfman, George Pérez and Arnold Drake comic book of the same name, but plans for it were cancelled, and an animated series unrelated to the DC animated universe was produced instead and aired simultaneously on Cartoon Network and Kids' WB from 2003 to 2006. |
| Feature film | The Snow Queen | Another animated film that was going to be directed by Bill Kroyer and produced by Kroyer Films for Warner Bros. Animation was in the works, this film was going to be based on The Snow Queen, but after heated arguments between Kroyer and Warner Bros. and Kroyer being fired from directing Quest for Camelot, production for The Snow Queen, along with King Tut and Arrow (an animated film fully made by Kroyer Films and distributed by Warner Bros.), was forced to be shut down.{{Failed verification|date=July 2019}} |
=1995=
| class="wikitable" | ||
| style="width:150pt;"| Series || style="width:100pt;"| Title || Description | ||
|---|---|---|
| rowspan="11" | Feature film | untitled Day of the Dead film | In 1995, there were plans for an animated musical film centered around the Mexican Holiday of the same name with art work by Milton Knight and would predate famous Day of the Dead animated films like The Book of Life and Coco. The film was scrapped most likely due to the tragic death of Selena, whom the filmmakers and songwriters really wanted to be one of the voices in the movie before production even started.{{cite web |title=Concept art for a scrapped Day of the Dead film for Warner Bros. Feature Animation art by Milton Knight. |url=https://twitter.com/TheMediaMines/status/1664000121393037314 |website=Twitter |date=2023-05-31}} |
| Shangri-La | According to animator Michel Gagné's website. Warner Bros. Feature Animation had plans for an animated movie about a group of friends going on a quest to find the city of Shangri-La, after finding a map to it. However the film's production was shut down for unknown reasons.{{cite web |last1=Gagné |first1=Michel |title=Michel Gagné's Employers and Clients |url=https://www.gagneint.com/Final%20site/About%20Michel/Resume/Resume.htm |website=gagneint.com |date=2023}} | |
| The Flying Dutchman | In 1995, writers Evelyn Gabai and Sandy Fries of Spider-Man: The Animated Series pitched an idea to Warner Bros. Feature Animation of an animated film of the ghost ship "The Flying Dutchman" with an prologue by David Bowie, but nothing came through and the production was shut down.{{Failed verification|date=July 2019}} | |
| Hiiaka, Daughter of the Volcano | In 1995, animation director Frederik Du Chau was going to make an animated musical film of the famous Hawaiian story Hiiaka, Daughter of the Volcano with a new song by Michael Franks. However, after Bill Kroyer was fired from directing Quest for Camelot and Frederik was brought to take over directing, the film's production was shut down immediately.{{cite web|url=http://www.copyrightencyclopedia.com/quest-for-camelot-opening-title-and-cues-composed-by/#id5781778|title=Quest for Camelot (opening title & cues) Composed by Patrick Doyle, Hiiaka, daughter of the volcano|website=Copyright Encyclopedia}}{{Failed verification|date=July 2019}} | |
| Nicholas Cricket | In 1995, Storyopolis announced it was co-producing a musical animated film adaptation of the children's book Nicholas Cricket by Joyce Maxner and William Joyce with Warner Bros.{{cite news|last=Petrikin|first=Chris|url=https://variety.com/1997/scene/vpage/davis-toons-voice-for-storyopolis-1117433621/|title=Davis toons voice for Storyopolis|magazine=Variety|date=January 15, 1997|access-date=July 24, 2019}} In 1999, it was announced that Sandra Bullock's production company Fortis Films had extended its production deal with Warner Bros with Nicholas Cricket as one of its projects, and Karey Kirkpatrick was attached as screenwriter.{{cite news|last=Fleming|first=Michael|url=https://variety.com/1999/film/news/bullock-wb-reup-prod-n-agreement-1117755549/|title=Bullock, WB reup prod'n agreement|magazine=Variety|date=September 10, 1999|access-date=July 24, 2019}} | |
| The Sorcerer's Apprentice | Along with a series of announced projects, Storyopolis announced they were adapting the children's novel The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Nancy Willard. In January 1997, Geena Davis was cast to voice the female apprentice Sylvia and her production company, the Forge, was co-producing the film. Bill Marsilli was also attached to serve as the project's screenwriter. | |
| The Jester | Along with a series of announced projects, Storyopolis announced they were co-producing an animated film about a Jester going on a quest to save his kingdom and win the love of his life.{{cite web |title=Concept poster and figure of a scrapped Warner Bros. Feature Animation film "The Jester". |url=https://twitter.com/TheMediaMines/status/1655920615126183938 |website=Twitter |date=2023-05-09}} | |
| The Iguana Brothers | Along with a series of announced projects, Storyopolis announced they were adapting the children's book The Iguana Brothers by Tony Johnston and Marc Teague. The story was to tell a road trip featuring two iguanas who travel to Rio de Janeiro for Carnival.{{cite interview|url=https://www.awn.com/mag/issue2.10/2.10pages/2.10storyopolis.html|title=A Literary Draw: Storyopolis: An Interview with Storyopolis Co-founder Fonda Snyder|magazine=Animation World Network|subject=Fonda Snyder|interviewer=Wendy Jackson|date=January 10, 1998|access-date=July 24, 2019}} The film was later moved to Blue Sky Studios only for that to be canceled as well.{{cite web | url=https://www.awn.com/news/fox-and-blue-sky-have-iguana-tale | title=Fox and Blue Sky Have Iguana by the Tale }} | |
| Ray Gunn | In late 1995 Brad Bird was in development of a film titled Ray Gunn under Turner Feature Animation, but due to the Turner-Time Warner merger the film was scrapped and Bird would later direct The Iron Giant.{{cite web | url=http://scriptshadow.net/screenplay-review-ray-gunn/ | title=Screenplay Review – Ray Gunn | date=5 September 2012 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/82591/animated-movie-brad-bird-couldnt-get-ground | title=The Animated Movie Brad Bird Couldn't Get off the Ground | date=5 July 2016 }}{{cite web | url=http://pixarroom.free.fr/RayGunn.htm | title=Pixar - Ray Gunn }} It was later announced in 2022 that the film would be made under Skydance Animation.{{cite news | url=https://deadline.com/2022/02/brad-bird-ray-gunn-skydance-animation-the-incredibles-directs-his-animated-film-creation-1234935520/ | title=Skydance Animation Brings 'The Incredibles' Brad Bird into Fold to Direct His Animated Film Creation 'Ray Gunn' | newspaper=Deadline | date=17 February 2022 | last1=Fleming | first1=Mike Jr. }} | |
| Red Ranger Came Calling | Along with a series of announced projects, Storyopolis announced they were adapting the children's book, Red Ranger Came Calling by Berkeley Breathed, into a live-action/animated hybrid film. | |
| Wagstaffe the Wind-Up Boy | An animated adaption of Wagstaffe the Wind-Up Boy by Jan Needle, the story of a boy born with a wind-up key in his back, was in the works at Warner Bros. Animation, but was cancelled when the next project that was announced was The Iron Giant.{{Failed verification|date=July 2019}} |
=1996=
=1998=
| class="wikitable" | ||
| style="width:150pt;"| Series || style="width:100pt;"| Title || Description | ||
|---|---|---|
| Batman | Batman: Arkham | After the success of Batman & Mr. Freeze: Subzero, Warner Bros. greenlighted the production of a third installment, entitled Batman: Arkham. Boyd Kirkland, the director of this film, was attached to write and direct. The film would have Batman and Robin facing off against a collection of Arkham Asylum escapees, in addition to Batman finding himself falling in love with a new love interest, planned to be voiced by Angie Harmon. The main cast of Batman: The Animated Series was attached to reprise their roles. Steven E. Gordon also drew some art concept for the film. However, the film was cancelled in favor of Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (which also featured Harmon), while Batman: Arkham eventually became a successful video game series by Rocksteady. |
| Feature film | Sho and the Demons of the Deep | In 1998, Warner Bros. Animation pitched an idea for an animated film based on Sho and the Demons of the Deep by Annouchka Gravel Galouchko about a story set in ancient Japan of how kites came to be. However the project was cancelled after no news came and problems at Warner Bros. Feature Animation.{{Failed verification|date=July 2019}} |
| Willy Wonka | WONKA | A planned animated adaptation of the Roald Dahl book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was in the planning stages, but was never made.{{cite web | url=http://legacy.aintitcool.com/node/1235 | title=Animated WONKA}}{{cite web | url=https://www.whitingpictures.com/wonka | title=WONKA }} |
| Feature film | The Zoo | According to animator Alex Williams, Warner Bros. Feature Animation had plans to do an animated anthology film called The Zoo about the days, lives and shenanigans of the animals living in the same zoo. However, it was canceled after Quest for Camelot did not do to well at the box office.{{cite web |title=Concept art for a scrapped Warner Bros. Feature Animation film from 1997-98 titled The Zoo. |url=https://twitter.com/TheMediaMines/status/1673865579034292235 |website=Twitter |date=2023-06-27}} |
| Quest for Camelot | The Green Knight and King Arthur's Daughter | Sequels to Quest for Camelot that were based on the books The Green Knight and King Arthur's Daughter by Vera Chapman were in the works at Warner Bros. However, after Quest for Camelot became a commercial and critical failure, the sequels' productions were shut down immediately.{{Failed verification|date=July 2019}} |
2000s
=2000=
| class="wikitable" | ||
| style="width:150pt;"| Series || style="width:100pt;"| Title || Description | ||
|---|---|---|
| Batman | Untitled Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker sequel | A second Batman Beyond movie was planned for release, but was finally scrapped due to the dark tones and controversies of Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker in 2000.{{cite web |url=http://jl.toonzone.net/episode50/episode50.htm |title=Epilogue |access-date=January 1, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160516063839/http://jl.toonzone.net/episode50/episode50.htm |archive-date=May 16, 2016 |df=mdy }} |
=2003=
Due to the box office underperformance of Looney Tunes Back In Action, most planned Looney Tunes projects from at the time were cancelled.
=2004=
| class="wikitable" | ||
| style="width:150pt;"| Series || style="width:100pt;"| Title || Description | ||
|---|---|---|
| Justice League | Justice League: Worlds Collide | Around 2004, Bruce Timm announced that a direct-to-video Justice League feature film was in the works. The film was intended to make a bridge between the second season of Justice League to the first season of Justice League Unlimited. The film was planned to reveal how Wonder Woman acquired her Invisible-Jet, and also planned to feature the Crime Syndicate as the main antagonists, an idea that was originally conceived for the two-part episode "A Better World", until the Syndicate was replaced by the Justice Lords.{{cite web|url=http://jl.toonzone.net/episode18/episode18.htm|title=Justice League: "A Better World"|website=ToonZone|access-date=2018-08-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130217020729/http://jl.toonzone.net/episode18/episode18.htm|archive-date=2013-02-17|url-status=dead}} Dwayne McDuffie wrote the script and Andrea Romano assembled the cast, but Warner Bros. finally scrapped the project.{{cite web|url=http://jl.toonzone.net/episodeC/episodeC.htm|title=Justice League: "Worlds Collide"|website=ToonZone|access-date=2018-08-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303182731/http://jl.toonzone.net/episodeC/episodeC.htm|archive-date=2016-03-03|url-status=dead}} However, in 2010, the film's plot was used for the non-DCAU film Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, but removing all references to the continuity of the DC animated universe, and replacing John Stewart with Hal Jordan as the Justice League's Green Lantern. |
| Batman | Batman: No Man's Land | In the mid-2000s, producer James Tucker wanted to make a traditional animated television adaptation of Batman: No Man's Land with designs by Coran Stone, but its production was shut down when Warner Bros. Animation found it too dark for television. Later, a second attempt to make a television adaptation was in the works during the late 2000s, but with CGI. However, like their earlier attempt, Warner Bros. found it too dark and violent for television. |
=2005=
| class="wikitable" | ||
| style="width:150pt;"| Series || style="width:100pt;"| Title || Description | ||
|---|---|---|
| Feature film | Neopets | In March 2005, it was announced that Warner Bros. had closed a deal to produce an animated film based on Neopets.{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2005/more/news/neopets-getting-animated-1117920047/|title=NeoPets getting animated|magazine=Variety|date=March 23, 2005|access-date=July 24, 2019}} In February 2006, it was announced that Rob Lieber was hired to write the screenplay. Jimmy Neutron creator John A. Davis was attached as director along with Dylan Seller as producer.{{cite news|last=McClintock|first=Pamela|url=https://variety.com/2006/digital/markets-festivals/wb-taps-neopets-pic-scribe-1117937505/|title=WB taps NeoPets pic scribe|magazine=Variety|date=February 6, 2006|access-date=July 24, 2019}} However, the project was later cancelled. |
=2006=
=2008=
| class="wikitable" | ||
| style="width:150pt;"| Series || style="width:100pt;"| Title || Description | ||
|---|---|---|
| Justice League | Untitled Justice League film | An untitled Justice League direct to DVD film was in the works in 2008, with a design by James Tucker. |
| Green Lantern | Untitled Green Lantern: First Flight sequel | There were plans to make a sequel to Green Lantern: First Flight, but nothing came about due to poor DVD sales. |
| Looney Tunes and Hanna-Barbera | Mixed Nutz | Tom Ruegger pitched an idea for a TV show where the Looney Tunes and Hanna-Barbera characters have crossovers together in different stories and parodies, but the series was scrapped when the executives found it too disorienting combining both franchises together.{{cite web |url=https://fyeahfailedcartoonpilots.tumblr.com/tagged/mixed-nutz |title=F Yeah, Failed Cartoon Pilots! |website=fyeahfailedcartoonpilots.tumblr.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210108134346/https://fyeahfailedcartoonpilots.tumblr.com/tagged/mixed-nutz |archive-date=2021-01-08}} |
=2009=
2010s
=2010=
=2011=
=2012=
=2014=
=2015=
=2016=
=2017=
| class="wikitable" | ||
| style="width:150pt;"| Series || style="width:100pt;"| Title || Description | ||
|---|---|---|
| Wonder Woman | Wonder Woman: World War II animated series | Producer Butch Lukic brought a proposal to Warner Bros. for Wonder Woman animated series set in the World War II, but was rejected due to the development of the live-action film Wonder Woman, which is set in the World War I. Some of the concepts for the story and setting were later incorporated in the animated film Justice Society: World War II, which was produced by Lukic.Comic Book Resources [https://www.cbr.com/justice-society-world-war-ii-started-wonder-woman-series/ "Justice Society: World War II Started as a Wonder Woman Series"] by Sam Stone, April 2, 2021 |
=2018=
=2019=
2020s
=2020=
| class="wikitable" | ||
| style="width:150pt;"| Series || style="width:100pt;"| Title || Description | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tom and Jerry | Tom and Jerry Time | On June 4, 2020, co-creative director of the show's visual style, Genevieve Tsai uploaded concept art of characters to social media.{{cite web |last1=Tsai |first1=Genevieve |title=Jerry & Nibbles #TomAndJerry |url=https://x.com/GenevieveTsai/status/1268296096414961664 |website=Twitter |date=2020-06-03}} WarnerMedia Kids & Family announced on February 17, 2021, that they were developing the show.{{cite web | url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/warnermedia-kids-family-cartoon-network-hbo-max-gremlins-toons-1234909456/?cx_testId=51&cx_testVariant=cx_2&cx_artPos=1#cxrecs_s | title=HBO Max Renews 'Tiny Toons Looniversity' and 'Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai,' WarnerMedia Expands Kids and Family Slate | date=17 February 2021 }} On September 3, 2021, ten days before Cartoonito's launch, the show's name was changed from its working title to Tom and Jerry Time. The show was to premiere in 2022, but was changed to 2023. On Twitter, Warner Bros. Discovery announced on September 8, 2022, that they will also invest in animated children's programs, which would include Tom and Jerry Time among other animated shows. The future WBD platform also invested in animated programming. In July 2023, Will Finn confirmed on Instagram that the show was axed by Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav.{{cite web |last1=Finn |first1=Will |title=According to showrunner Will Finn, 'TOM AND JERRY TIME,' the Tom and Jerry preschool series that was in production for #Cartoonito, has been canceled. |url=https://x.com/AnimationOnMax/status/1684240020285140994 |website=Twitter |date=2023-07-26}} |
=2021=
=2022=
| class="wikitable" | ||
| style="width:150pt;"| Series || style="width:100pt;"| Title || Description | ||
|---|---|---|
| Scooby-Doo | Scoob! Holiday Haunt | A prequel to the 2020 film Scoob!, directed by Bill Haller and Michael Kurinsky, was originally intended for release on HBO Max, but the film's release was cancelled following the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery, Inc. to form Warner Bros. Discovery by CEO David Zaslav in August 2022, despite its production being 95% complete. |
=2023=
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Warner Bros. animation and comics}}
{{Warner Bros. theatrical animated features}}
Unproduced Warner Bros. Animation