Marvel's "Big Hero 6" is set for a 2014 release from Disney Animation

Marvel's "Big Hero 6" has been rumored since 2012 to be Disney's first animated Marvel Comics film. The L.A. Times has confirmed this is indeed the case. The film, directed by Don Hall and set for a 2014 release, follows robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada (likely a counterpart for the comics' Hiro Takachiho) and his robot BayMax as they join a superhero team in the hi-tech city of San Fransokyo (a mash-up of San Francisco and Tokyo)

Created by Steven T. Seagle and Duncan Rouleau in the pages of "Alpha Flight," the first miniseries of "Big Hero 6" was written by Scott Lobdell with art by Gus Vasquez. "Big Hero 6" focused on a team assembled by the Japanese government, and the roster included characters like the X-Man Sunfire and his alternate reality sister Sunpyre, sometimes-villain the Silver Samurai and off-the-wall characters like Fred (who can transform himself into a giant lizard creature ala Godzilla), Honey Lemon (who has a purse that gives her superpowers) and a character named Wasabi-No-Ginger (a trained chef who uses swords for combat).

"I was looking for something on the obscure side, something that would mesh well with what we do," Hall told the L.A. Times. "The idea of a kid and a robot story with a strong brother element, it's very Disney."

While the animated film is being produced completely at Disney Animation, Marvel Chief Creative Officer Joe Quesada has been involved in the project as well, participating in brainstorming sessions.

"Don was a huge fan of Marvel," Quesada said. "He understood what we did. I didn't have to explain our world to him. The relationship between Hiro and his robot has a very Disney flavor to it ... but it's combined with these Marvel heroic arcs."

"Big Hero 6" is scheduled for a 2014 release