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.
__NOTOC__ Contents: 1990s: 199219931994199519961998 2000s: 2000200320042005200620082009 2010s: 201020112012201420152016201720182019 2020s: 2020202120222023 See alsoReferences
1990s 1992 Series Title Description Feature film The Thief and the Cobbler Following his success with Who Framed Roger Rabbit in 1988, Richard Williams and Warner Bros. negotiated a funding and a distribution deal for his long in-development feature, which included a $25 million marketing budget. The film was not finished by a 1991 deadline that Warner Bros. originally imposed upon Williams, and after a rough screening of the film in May 1992, the studio backed out of production entirely. The Completion Bond Company seized control of the film afterwards, where it would be overhauled and released under the title The Princess and the Cobbler in 1993. DC Animated Universe Catwoman: The Animated Series After the success of Batman: The Animated Series, Bruce Timm was asked by Warner Bros. and Fox Kids to make a spin-off show, but with Catwoman. However, only a small amount of production work was done before the idea was scrapped in favor of Superman: The Animated Series.
1993 Series 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. 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 Series Title Description 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. 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. 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.
1995 Series Title Description 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 death of Selena, whom the filmmakers and songwriters greatly considered for a voice role before production started. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. The film was later moved to Blue Sky Studios only for that to be canceled as well. 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. It was later announced in 2022 that the film would be made under Skydance Animation. 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.
1996 Series Title Description Feature film Blue Moose In 1996, an animated feature film adaptation of Blue Moose by children's book author Daniel Pinkwater of a cook named Mr. Breton (set to be voiced by Fred Melamed) gets help from a rare blue moose (set to be voiced by Rick Moranis) to make his restaurant even better was in the works at Warner Bros. Dan Aykroyd was also set to voice Mr. Bobowicz the game warden and Christopher Plummer was set to voice Dave the friendly, but shy forest hermit. However, it was cancelled when Warner Bros. decided to make Quest for Camelot as their next movie instead. Haunted Holiday In 1996, animator Ralph Eggleston was set to direct his first animated feature film at Warner Bros. that was based on the famous ghost story Bluebeard called Haunted Holiday with Tim Curry as the voice of Baron Azuro, a character that was modeled after him. However the production was shut down after the failure of Quest for Camelot and Warner Bros. putting their money on The Iron Giant. After that, Ralph Eggleston left Warner Bros. Animation to return to Pixar in which he won an Academy Award for his short For the Birds. Untitled Mr. Limpet remake In 1996, a live-action/animated hybrid remake of The Incredible Mr. Limpet was in development with a screenplay written by Space Jam writers Steve Rudnick and Leo Benvenuti. By 1997, Jim Carrey entered negotiations to star in the title role, and was confirmed in February 1998 with Steve Oedekerk hired as the writer and director. The star of the original film Don Knotts was aware of plans for the remake, which he wrote about in his autobiography, and offered his support. Roughly $10 million was spent on animation tests to digitally map Carrey's motion-captured human face onto a fish's body, which produced disastrous results. By March 1999, Oedekerk left the project following creative differences, while Carrey followed suit in July. In April 2000, Warner Bros. hired Beavis and Butt-Head and King of the Hill creator Mike Judge as director and co-writer, with Robin Williams, Chris Rock, Mike Myers, and Adam Sandler in consideration for the lead role. Filming was set to begin early 2001, but the project did not materialize for undisclosed reasons. In June 2009, it was announced that Enchanted director Kevin Lima was attached to direct. In 2010, it was reported that Zach Galifianakis was in talks for the lead role. In March 2011, Richard Linklater entered negotiations to helm the project, and was announced as the director in January 2014. That same month, Femke Wolting and Tommy Pallotta had begun working on the design and animation on the project while Galifianakis would reportedly play the lead character. On July 8, 2014, it was announced that Jon Hamm, Danny McBride, Sarah Silverman, Kevin Hart, Josh Gad, Keegan-Michael Key, and Jordan Peele had entered talks for various roles in the film. On August 4, Linklater left the project to concentrate on his next film That's What I'm Talking About (released in 2016 as Everybody Wants Some!!).
1998