AceShowbiz -

After dealing with advanced technology in "Iron Man" films, Robert Downey Jr. will hop on WABAC Machine. He has signed on to star in DreamWorks Animation's "Peabody & Sherman", voicing the genius and talking dog Mr. Peabody who uses the computerized device to travel through time.

"The Lion King" helmer Rob Minkof is set to direct the upcoming animation. "Mr. Peabody is this genetic anomaly," he says on the character. "He does have brothers and sisters, all of them non-speaking, no super-smart dogs. He's an outcast, but has overcome it by being so great at so many things."

It will be a big screen adaptation of "Peabody & Sherman" cartoons which were made in the late 1950s and 1960s. It follows Mr. Peabody and his pet boy Shermanwill who travel through time and discover improbable things about history's greatest figures. Entertainment Weekly describes, "Sherman is not dimwitted, but admittedly wide-eyed and naive." No one has been cast for the role.

"Peabody & Sherman" will be fully computer animated and made in 3-D. The story will focus not only on their time traveling, but also their origin story. "Yogi Bear" scribes Jeffrey Ventimilia and Joshua Sternin write for the movie, which is aimed for 2014 release.

Robert Downey Jr. recently backed out of Alfonso Cuaron's "Gravity" which was supposed to see him sharing screen with Sandra Bullock. The actor will next be seen in "Sherlock Holmes 2" due December 16 before reprising his role as Tony Stark in "The Avengers" and "Iron Man 3".