When Disney first acquired Marvel back in 2009, fans immediately started speculating about the numerous possibilities that this partnership could create.  Chief among them was whether Disney or Pixar would be bringing a Marvel Comics property to life in the world of animation.  Rumors swirled last summer that Disney was developing an animated feature film adaptation of the Marvel comic Big Hero 6, and they were quickly followed up by an official confirmation that the project was in the early stages of development.

Well now Disney has formally announced that the first animated feature based on a Marvel property will indeed be Big Hero 6, and the film is slated for release sometime next year.  Hit the jump for more, including the first footage from the pic.

Per Hero Complex, Don Hall (Winnie the Pooh) is directing a CG-animated adaptation of Big Hero 6 for release on November 7, 2014.  For those unfamiliar with the property, the story centers on a robotics prodigy named Hiro Hamada who, along with his robot companion BayMax, teams up with a group of superheroes in Tokyo.

For this Disney iteration, the location has been changed to the high-tech city of San Fransokyo, which is a mesh between San Francisco and Tokyo.  Hall was drawn to the story’s strong partnership element and was enthused about creating a new world:

“I was looking for something on the obscure side, something that would mesh well with what we do. The idea of a kid and a robot story with a strong brother element, it’s very Disney….Marvel properties take place in the real world. We were looking for something to do where we could make our own world — bring in the Japanese influences,  have recognizable landmarks mashed up with a Japanese aesthetic.”

Marvel Chief Creative Officer Joe Quesada has been intricately involved in the film’s development, so hardcore comics fans need not worry about Big Hero 6 being too “Disneyfied.”  The film will be released in 3D when it hits theaters on November 7, 2014.

Watch the first footage from Big Hero 6 below, followed by an official synopsis and a couple of images:

Here’s the official synopsis for Big Hero 6:

From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes “Big Hero 6,” an action comedy adventure about brilliant robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada, who finds himself in the grips of a criminal plot that threatens to destroy the fast-paced, high-tech city of San Fransokyo. With the help of his closest companion—a robot named Baymax—Hiro joins forces with a reluctant team of first-time crime fighters on a mission to save their city. Inspired by the Marvel comics of the same name, and featuring comic-book style action and all the heart and humor audiences expect from Walt Disney Animation Studios, the CG-animated “Big Hero 6” hits theaters in 3D on November 7, 2014.