List of unproduced DreamWorks Animation projects

This is a List Of Unmade And Unreleased Animated Projects By DreamWorks Animation SKG. Some of these films were, or still are, in development limbo. These also include the co productions the studio collaborated with in the past i.e Oriental DreamWorks, Aardman Animations, etc.

Antz 2
There were plans to make a sequel to the 1998 film Antz. The film was to be produced by PDI, the visual effects team that did the animation on the original, and was scheduled for either as direct to video release or as a theatrical release. The film was inevitably cancelled for unknown reasons.

Tusker
In December 1998, DreamWorks Animation SKG and PDI announced their 3 3D CG project following Shrek (2001) called Tuskers. It would been an original story chronicling a herd of elephants crossing southeast Asia. In their travels, they encounter a wide variety of dangers, including a band of marauding poachers. The film was going to be directed by Tim Johnson and Brad Lewis, the respected co director and producer of Antz. The project was cancelled to make way for Shrek 2 and Madagascar. But in 2008, Hong Kong animation studio Imagi Animation Studios bought the rights to make the movie. Imagi version would been produced by Brooke Breton and written by Ted Tally, with a release date set for the 1 half of 2011. But following Imagi closure in early 2010, the film was cancelled.

Rockumentary
In 1998, DreamWorks Animation SKG and PDI had started development on this film without being formally announced as a parody of The Beatles in a most likely animated mockumentary of their rise and fall to fame, which featured a Beatles esque penguin rock band. The idea was scrapped, but after production on Madagascar started, director Eric Darnell decided to revive the penguins, but make them a commando unit instead of a rock band.

The Wanderer
A 2D traditional animated feature film that was going to be directed by The Brizzi Brothers and Simon Wells of the story of a stray bear who joins a group of circus bears and changes their lives. The film production was canceled when Simon went to direct The Time Machine and studio changes. As of 2012, some concept art was shown online of what the film characters would be.

Bee Movie 2
While not announced by the studio, comedian Jerry Seinfeld, producer, writer, and star of the 2007 DreamWorks Animation SKG film Bee Movie, said that he has no interest to make a sequel to Bee Movie. During a Reddit AMA in June 2016, a fan asked if a Bee Movie 2 would happen. Seinfeld had this to say,


 * you considered it this spring for a solid 6 hours. There a fantastic energy now for some reason, on the internet particularly. Tumblr, people brought your attention to. you actually did consider it, but then you realized it would make Bee Movie 2 less iconic. But your kids want you to do it, a lot of people want you to do it. A lot of people that do know what animation is want you to do it. If you have any idea what animation is, you never do it.

The Book Of Life
DreamWorks Animation SKG initially optioned to make The Book Of Life back in 2007. They decided not to continue with the project due to creative differences with the director. The film was eventually made at Reel FX Creative Studios and was released in Fall 2014 to critical praise.

The Croods Awakening
As part of Aardman Animations 5 picture deal with DreamWorks Animation SKG, an animated film called The Croods Awakening was in the early works at Aardman. Written by John Cleese and Kirk Demicco, it would been loosely based on the Roald Dahl book The Twits but set in the stone age. The film was cancelled due to Aardman and DreamWorks Animation SKG separation in 2007 following the release of Flushed Away. Ultimately, both studios would end up making an animated movie set in the stone age DreamWorks Animation SKG in 2013 with The Croods where Cleese and Demicco were heavily involved and Aardman in 2018 with Early Man.

Gullible Travels
DreamWorks Animation SKG bought a script in 2007 titled Gullible Travels which would been about a man who travels through time via a porta potty to find the woman he loves. It was written by Steve Bencich and Ron J Friedman Open Season, Chicken Little (2005).

Inter World
On June 16, 2007, author Neil Gaiman reported in his journal that DreamWorks Animation SKG optioned his book, Inter World, to be made into an animated feature film. But they decided not to get the film rights.

Punk Farm
In April 2006, DreamWorks Animation SKG had the rights to develop a 3D computer animated film adaptation of the children book of the same name by Jarrett J Krosoczka, but it was cancelled for unknown reasons, and was eventually picked up by MGM Animation. but it was later cancelled

The Road To El Dorado 2
There were talks about doing a sequel to The Road To El Dorado, where it would continued the adventures of Miguel, Folio, and Chel going to find more rich land. But after the movie bombed, all plans for the sequels were cancelled.

Tortoise Vs. Hare
Another project that was cancelled at Aardman was a film adaptation of the Aesop table, The Tortoise And The Hare. The project was put to a halt due to script concerns. It would starred Bob Hoskins, Orlando Jones, with Brenda Blethyn, and Lee Evans. It would have been written by Karey Kirkpatrick and Mark Burton, executive produced by Peter Lord and Nick Park, and directed by Richard Goleszowski. It would been released in 2003, but was moved to 2004 for Aardman to make room for their 1 film, Chicken Run.

Truckers
A film based on The Nome Trilogy books was in the works from 2001 to 2011. They acquired the film rights in 2001, and announced plans to combine all 3 books into a single film. It was to be directed by Andrew Adamson. In late 2008, Danny Boyle was attached to direct Truckers, but the project fell apart as a victim of this economic crisis. The following year, the Slumdog Millionaire Oscar winning screenwriter Simon Beaufoy was hired to work on the project. Plans to move forward with DreamWorks Animation SKG adaptation resurfaced in 2010 with the announcement that Legend Of The Guardians screenwriter John Orloff would pen the script for director Anand Tucker. Tucker was later announced to direct another DreamWorks Animation SKG film Trolls, which was planned to be partially based on a Pratchett novel, before he was replaced by Mike Mitchell. As of June 2018 no updates have surfaced.

2010
In the 2010 decade, several films were announced to be made that were to be released in the next 3 4 years following their announcements. Some of these films were eventually cancelled while others are claimed to be in development and waiting for a release. Most of these films were cancelled due to massive layoffs, creative differences, shake ups around the studio, and Comcast eventually buying DreamWorks in 2016.

Alma
A film based on the animated short Alma was in the works in October 2010. The short director Rodrigo Blaas is again set to direct the feature, with Guillermo Del Toro executive producing it. In November 2011, it was reported that the studio has hired Megan Holley, a writer of Sunshine Cleaning, to write a script. Del Toro, who is also helping with the story and the design work, said in June 2012 that the film was in visual development. As of June 2018 however, there have been no recent developments regarding the film production.

An Untitled Blue Footed Booby Film
Writer director Karey Kirkpatrick was developing an animated film about the blue footed booby birds. The basic idea would been about a dim witted blue footed booby who learns that it is the size of your brain, but the size of your heart that counts. As of June 2018, no other news emerge following that announcement.

BOO Bureau Of Otherworldly Operations
An animated film based on ghosts was in the works in mid 2010 that would starred Seth Rogen, Matt Bomer, Melissa Mccarthy, Bill Murray, Octavia Spencer, with Rashida Jones, and Jennifer Coolidge. It was to be directed by Tony Leondis and written by Tom Wheeler from a story by Leondis. It was about 2 bumbling apparitions who find themselves in an extraordinary after life adventure when they join the Bureau Of Otherworldly Operations BOO the ghost world elite counter haunting unit and ultimately must face off against the planet greatest haunter. It was to be released on June 5, 2015, but was pulled from it release to avoid competition with Disney.Pixar Inside Out. As of 2018, no updates have emerged from the project. Some speculate that the project is cancelled, while others believe it finished, but just waiting for a release. But in 2015, Leondis has moved from DreamWorks Animation SKG to Sony Pictures Animation to develop his next film, The Emoji Movie.

Flawed Dogs
A movie based on Berkeley Breathed book Flawed Dogs was in the works to be written and directed by Noah Baumbach. As of June 2018 No news have emerged since 2013.

Gil All Fright Diner
In December 2009, it was reported that the studio had set screenwriters Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris to write a film adaptation of the book, Gil All Fright Diner, with Barry Sonnenfeld attached to direct it. In 2011, Martinez wrote on his blog that he was working with DreamWorks Animation SKG on a project based on an original idea, and not on Gil All Fright Diner. In March 2013, Martinez expressed uncertainty for any film adaptation your guess is as good as mine. It all a matter of convincing someone with the clout necessary to make it happen.

Imaginary Enemies
In 2010, DreamWorks Animation SKG announced they were going to make their 1 live action 3D animated project. The project was to be told from the point of view of the imaginary friends who had long been used as scapegoats by unscrupulous children looking for someone else to blame for their misdeeds. Eventually fed up, those imaginary people come looking for some payback when the kids are grown up. Screenwriter Joe Syracuse and Lisa Addario wrote the script. But as of March 2018, no other updates have been announced.

Larrikins
Larrikins was an animated film that was in development between 2010 and 2017. It was an animated musical that was to be directed by Tim Minchin which would been his directorial debut and Chris Miller from a script by Harry Cripps. The project was about a desert dwelling bilby who leaves his home under a rock to go on a roadtrip with a music band that would starred the voices of Margot Robbie, with Hugh Jackman, and Naomi Watts, With songs written by Minchin. While DreamWorks Animation SKG did confirm it cancellation, several crew member revealed it cancellation on their personal blogs, this includes character designer Peter De Seve. Minchin wrote on his blog,


 * You recently been working in 3 different continents, missing your kids a lot, sleeping too little and not playing piano enough. And then a couple of days ago, the animated film to which you dedicated the last 4 years of my life was shut down by the new studio execs. The only way you know how to deal with your impotent fury and sadness is to subject members of the public to the spectacle of you getting drunk and playing ballads.

Lids Ville
A 3D computer animated musical comedy film adaptation of the Lids Ville TV series was in the works. It was going to be directed by Conrad Vernon and scored by Alan Menken, who would also be writing the songs with Glenn Slater. Menken stated that, the songs will be an homage to 60 psychedelic concept album rock. But Lids Ville creator Sid Krofft said in a June 2016 interview with The Wall Street Journal that, it was going to be like Hair or Tommy, a full blown musical. But they went in a strange direction and it just did work.

Maintenance
Going with a comic book direction, the company bought the film rights to the comic book series Maintenance from Oni Press. The film rights were 1 required by Warner Bros. as a MCG film, but DreamWorks Animation SKG then got rights after WB dropped out. But as of June 2018, the company has yet to do anything with the comic rights.

Me And My Shadow Edgar Wright Shadows
On December 10, 2010, DreamWorks Animation SKG announced a project titled Me And My Shadow was scheduled for a March 2013 release date. The plot involved Shadow Stan who serves a shadow to Stanley Grubb, the world most boring human. Wanting to live a more exciting life, he escapes the Shadow World and takes control of Stanley. With Mark Dindal slated as the film director, the film was meant to combine traditional and 3D CGI animation. In January 2012, Bill Hader, with Kate Hudson, and Josh Gad had joined the voice cast. Additionally, Alessandro Carloni had replaced Dindal as director and the release date was pushed back to November 2013.

However, in June 2012, it release date was pushed back to March 7, 2014 with Mr. Peabody And Sherman (2014) taking it November 2013 release. In February 2013, Me And My Shadow went back into development with Mr. Peabody And Sherman (2014) re assuming it original March 14, 2014 release.

On November 19, 2015, Edgar Wright had signed to direct and co write an animated feature for DreamWorks Animation SKG, in which the story was described as a new take on a previously developed concept about shadows. In an interview with Collider published in June 2017, Wright explained that he and David Walliams had wrote 3 drafts, but the project is in limbo due to management changes at DreamWorks Animation SKG.

Mumbai Musical
Former Disney animator and director Kevin Lima pitched to DreamWorks Animation SKG a Bollywood styled musical based on The Ramayana, but told through the point of view of it monkeys. It would follow 2 common monkeys who become unlikely heroes in a last ditch effort to stop an ancient, thought to be mythical demon from conquering the world. Going through multiple titles, Monkeys Of Bolly Wood, Monkeys On Mumbai, and Bolly Wood Super Star Monkey, the film was to feature music by Stephen Schwartz and AR Rahman, who also the film composers, with the script written by David Sussman. The film was originally planned for a release in December 19, 2015, the release dates kept getting pushed back to the point of being put back into DreamWorks Animation SKG films that are in development. Lima revealed that DreamWorks Animation SKG quietly cancelled the film. In an interview with Den Of Geeks UK, he said,


 * It came very close. We were just going into production, we were just starting animation. you been working on it for 2 years. All the songs were written. Stephen Schwartz and AR Rahman. We were just ready to start. you have to say that it 1 of the great disappointments of your film career not seeing that 1 move forward. It had nothing to do with the movie, and everything to do with the politics of selling the studio. 7 of us you think lost movies at that moment in time. With the studio having written it off on their taxes, it means the only way to get it back would be to invest that kind of money again. And it 10 of millions of dollars. you tried. you really tried. Stephen Schwartz and you took it around town, but when the price tag was revealed, everyone gasped. Ultimately, we could find a buyer.

The Pig Scrolls
On April 8, 2010, Pajiba Com reported that the studio was developing an animated feature film based on The Pig Scrolls. As a possible directing job, Barry Sonnenfeld was tasked to develop the film, while Kirk Demicco wrote the most recent script revision.

Rumble Wick
Another movie based on a book that was in the works at the studio was the book My Unwilling Witch The Rumble Wick Letters that would been simply titled Rumble Wick. It was to be directed by Tim Johnson and written by Jim Herzfeld.

Sequels To Shark Tale, Monsters Vs. Aliens, Megamind, Rise Of The Guardians, And Puss In Boots (2011)
In April 2011, Jeffrey Katzenberg announced that there currently no plans to make sequels to their parody films, this would include Shark Tale, Monsters Vs. Aliens, and Megamind. We went on, saying that these films all shared an approach and tone and idea of parody, and did not travel well internationally. We do have anything like that coming on our schedule now.

With Rise Of The Guardians, the creators expressed hope that the strong A Cinemascore average for the film and an enthusiastic word of mouth would gather support for the chance to make a 2. This includes co producer and author of the book it was based on, The Guardians Of Childhood by William Joyce, said he was in talks with the studio. He recalled, there is something that we are proposing that we hope they will want to do. Although no other info has been revealed since 2013.

With Puss In Boots (2011) back in November 2012, several drafts for a sequel were already completed as confirmed by executive producer Guillermo Del Toro, with original director Chris Miller wanting to take Puss on to an exotic adventure. By April 2014, Antonio Banderas confirmed that a sequel had entered into production and was later revealed 2 months later as Puss In Boots 2 9 Lives And 40 Thieves, slated to be released on November 2, 2018. In August 2014, the release date was pushed back a month later December 21, 2018. But by January 2015, following the massive restructuring at DreamWorks Animation SKG, several films were pulled off their scheduled release dates this included Puss In Boots (2011), along with releasing only 2 films a year as opposed to 3 or 4. Banderas revealed in March 2015 that the script it was under restructuring as well, and mentioned that Shrek might appear in the film. As of June 2018, no new updates have popped up following the restructuring in 2015. But in 2020 it was anounce that puss in boot will get a sequel called: Puss in Boots: The last wish. Set to come out in 23 of sptember of 2022

The Tibet Code
When DreamWorks Animation SKG made it then new division called Oriental DreamWorks in China, a film was in the works that was based on the famous Chinese novel The Tibet Code. Where story elements of The Da Vinci Code and the Indiana Jones Series films meet with the fun and adventures of Duck Tales (1987) and Johnny Quest. However like Zodiac, it production was shut down due to some problems at Oriental DreamWorks and the company could not come to terms with the producer who owned the rights to the book.

Vivo
In 2010, DreamWorks Animation SKG began production on Vivo. Based off a concept by Peter Barsocchini, the film centered on a monkey obsessed with music who embarks on a dangerous adventure from Havana, Cuba, to Miami, Florida. The film was cancelled by DreamWorks Animation SKG, but in 2016, the film was revived by Sony Pictures Animation and Netflix with Kirk Demicco as the director, and a 2021 release date.

Zodiac
Another animated feature film that was going to be made by Oriental DreamWorks, their 1 animated feature was going to be called Zodiac about a anthropomorphic kitty in a modern society with anthropomorphic animals trying to make sure he becomes the 1 cat on the Chinese zodiac while also discovering a sinister conspiracy, set to be released in 2014. However while the film storyboards were released online, the film production was canceled due to some problems at Oriental DreamWorks.