Attendees at WonderCon in San Francisco on Saturday got a look at a clip from the upcoming animated film Astro Boy. Based on the Japanese manga and 1960s television series and set in the futuristic Metro City, Astro Boy is the story of a young robot built by a scientist to replace his deceased son. Alas, Dad's grief isn't assuaged by the robot, so Astro Boy sets out on a journey to find himself. The film features the voices of Freddie Highmore (Astro Boy), Nicholas Cage (Dr. Tenma), Kristin Bell (Cora), Donald Sutherland (General Stone) and Nathan Lane (Ham Egg).

The clip began with Astro Boy falling (apparently out of a window), plummeting quickly toward Earth. As he falls, flames shoot out of his feet. He has a bit of difficulty adjusting to his new power but quickly masters it (it will remind you of the scene from Iron Man when he first tries out his suit). He flies all over town, the flames from his feet cooking an underdone steak at a restaurant. As he bursts through the clouds (in a scene that recalls another superhero film about a man in a cape) and revels in his new ability, he says, "Wow! This is cool! I have to show Dad."

The animation is very well done, and Metro City looks great. It was a quick shot, and there was no panel afterward. Astro Boy will be released Oct. 23.