Warner Animation Hires Aladdin Filmmakers to Make DC Comics’ Popular ‘Metal Men’

Legendary animators Ron Clements and John Musker has teamed up with writer Celeste Ballard

A new Warner Bros. animated show based on DC Comics characters Metal Men is on the way. Warner has roped in animation legends Ron Clements and John Musker, the duo behind animated classic Disney movies like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Moana, and The Princess and the Frog. They will be teaming up with Celeste Ballard, the same writer who had worked on the Space Jam: A New Legacy for the animated feature.

Who are the Metal Men?

Ron Clements, John Musker and Celeste Ballard
DC Comics, Disney, KAPLAN/PERRONE ENTERTAINMENT

The Metal Men are DC Comics heroes created by Robert Kanigher and Ross Andru in 1962, and tells the story of a brilliant scientist named William Magnus and the six highly advanced robots that he had created. Each robot has a power and personality that matches the metals they were created from – iron, gold, mercury, lead, tin, and platinum.

The characters have their solo comic outings in the ’60s, and have since made frequent appearances in stories taking place within the DC Universe. They had taken on many roles as well, from android assassins to vigilantes on the run from government authorities. They had even introduced Metal Men belonging to every metallic element in the periodic table.

Production details

Metal Men
DC Comics

Metal Men had appeared in animated shows in the 1990s and 2000s, but live-action plans never took flight. X-Men producer Lauren Shuler Donner, writer and executive Geoff Johns, and Men in Black filmmaker Barry Sonnenfeld had all expressed interest on a live-action movie.

Clements and Musker will also be producing the series, and have written the first script. Next, they are looking to direct it as well.

Meanwhile, Warner Animation’s next project, DC League of Super Petsis coming to theatres in May 2022.

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