The Iron Giant is a 1999 American animated science fiction film produced by Warner Bros. Feature Animation and directed by Brad Bird in his directorial debut. It is based on the 1968 novel The Iron Man by Ted Hughes, and was written by Tim McCanlies from a story treatment by Bird. The film stars the voices of Jennifer Aniston, Harry Connick Jr., Vin Diesel, James Gammon, Cloris Leachman, John Mahoney, Eli Marienthal, Christopher McDonald, and M. Emmet Walsh. Set during the Cold War in 1957, the film centers on a young boy named Hogarth Hughes, who discovers and befriends a giant alien robot. With the help of a beatnik artist named Dean McCoppin, Hogarth attempts to prevent the U.S. military and Kent Mansley, a paranoid federal agent, from finding and destroying the Giant.
Theatrical release poster
Christopher McDonald, Brad Bird and Eli Marienthal in March 2012 at the Iron Giant screening at the LA Animation Festival
Phillip Bradley Bird is an American writer, director and producer. He has had a career spanning forty years in both animation and live-action.
Bird at the 2009 Venice Film Festival
As a teen, Bird was awarded an internship to learn from Walt Disney's Nine Old Men at their California headquarters.
Christopher McDonald, Bird and Eli Marienthal in 2012 at an Iron Giant screening.
Bird, far left, with Pixar's senior creative team in 2009.