Some films take years to make. This one took three decades. Brad Bird, the Oscar-winning mind behind The Incredibles and The Iron Giant, has finally unveiled the trailer for Ray Gunn, a passion project he first dreamed up in the 1990s. The wait, based on early reactions, looks like it was worth it.
Table of Contents
Ray Gunn : Overview
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Director | Brad Bird |
| Genre | Animated sci-fi noir |
| Studio | Skydance Animation |
| Lead voice cast | Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Waits |
| Composer | Michael Giacchino |
| Theatrical release | December 4, 2026 (limited, select 70mm screens) |
| Netflix release | December 18, 2026 |
Ray Gunn Story: Noir Meets Retrofuturism
Ray Gunn is set in Metropia, a towering city imagined as the future might have looked through 1939 eyes, all flying cars, Art Deco skyscrapers and neon-soaked shadows. Sam Rockwell voices Raymond “Ray” Gunn, one of the last human private detectives in a world where tiny robots have replaced most detective work. When Venus Nova, a massive multimedia star voiced by Scarlett Johansson, gets pulled into a scandal involving murder, Ray and his one-eyed alien partner Eye-Ra (Tom Waits) are dragged into a case that winds through Metropia’s glittering heights and seedy underworld.
Why This Film Has Been 30 Years in the Making?
Brad Bird first conceived Ray Gunn after watching a trailer for the 1989 TV movie Peter Gunn. It was originally set to be made by Turner Feature Animation in the ’90s before being shelved when Bird went on to direct The Iron Giant. He revived the project in 2021 through a deal with Skydance Animation, reuniting with former Pixar collaborator John Lasseter. Bird even stepped away from directing Incredibles 3 to see this one through.
A Stacked Voice Cast
Beyond the three leads, Ray Gunn brings together Alan Tudyk, Matt Berry, Bobby Cannavale, Michelle Rodriguez, Aasif Mandvi, Patton Oswalt, Kathryn Hunter and John Ratzenberger, among others. That’s an unusually deep bench for an animated film, and it signals just how much weight Netflix is putting behind this one.
Why It’s Getting Buzz Already?
Western animation rarely leans this hard into adult noir territory, and that’s exactly the pitch here. Early trailer reactions have praised its mood and visual ambition, positioning it as a serious animated feature rather than a family-first release. For fans of film noir reimagined through a sci-fi lens, this looks like the year’s most distinctive animated release.
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FAQs
Q1. When does Ray Gunn release on Netflix?
Ray Gunn streams on Netflix starting December 18, 2026, after a limited theatrical run from December 4.
Q2. Who voices the lead characters in Ray Gunn?
Sam Rockwell voices Ray Gunn, Scarlett Johansson voices Venus Nova, and Tom Waits voices Ray’s alien partner Eye-Ra.
