Netflix has released the first trailer for Ray Gunn, the upcoming animated film from Academy Award-winning director Brad Bird, marking his return to directing after eight years. Set in a retro-futuristic megalopolis known as Metropia, the hard-boiled detective story follows private eye Raymond Gunn, voiced by Sam Rockwell, as he investigates a murder mystery involving multimedia star Venus Nova, played by Scarlett Johansson.
Produced by Skydance Animation, Ray Gunn represents a deliberate departure from Bird’s blockbuster pedigree. The director is best known for his work on Pixar hits including The Incredibles, The Iron Giant, and Ratatouille. His follow-up to the record-breaking Incredibles 2—which stood as Pixar’s highest-grossing film worldwide until surpassed by Inside Out 2—signals a shift toward grittier, more mature storytelling.
A Return to Hard-Boiled Roots
The newly released trailer showcases the film’s classic sci-fi detective beats: high-octane action, sharp one-liners, an intricate mystery to unravel, and a turbulent love story. Yet this marks only Bird’s second time behind the camera for a feature-length animated project, despite him having developed the concept for decades.
“I’ve been working on Ray Gunn since 1996,” Bird revealed, noting that he wrote the first script nearly three decades ago. The director described the film’s tone as “Maltese Falcon meets Buck Rogers” in a press release, signaling an intentional blend of classic detective fiction and retro sci-fi.
Image: Netflix“It wasn’t a Pixar movie, and that wasn’t a judgment against Pixar. I wanted it to have its own flavor that was a little different and I wanted it to have an edge that I thought people might not be as enthusiastic for over there.”
Brad Bird, Director
Bird elaborated on his creative vision in an interview with Polygon, explaining why he sought a distinct artistic direction. The film’s aesthetic leans heavily into future noir, trading the bright family-friendly palette of his previous work for shadow-laden streets and morally ambiguous characters.
A Star-Studded Voice Cast
Beyond Rockwell and Johansson, Ray Gunn features an extensive ensemble cast. Additional voices include Alan Tudyk, Matt Berry, Bobby Cannavale, Michael Chernus, Kether Donohue, Michelle Rodriguez, Aasif Mandvi, Matt Jones, Kathryn Hunter, John Ratzenberger, Justin Peck, and Patton Oswalt.
The film has already generated buzz within the animation industry. Bird was able to showcase early footage at the Annecy Film Festival earlier this year, where the project drew significant attention for its distinctive visual style and mature narrative ambitions.
Image: NetflixTheatrical Debut Before Streaming
In a notable move for an animated feature, Bird reportedly spent months convincing Netflix to grant Ray Gunn a theatrical release. The film will debut in select theaters with limited 70mm screenings on December 4 before streaming on the platform on December 18.
The December 18 date places the film directly in competition with major holiday season blockbusters, including Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part 3, both also arriving that day. While competing for attention against Marvel’s superhero epic may prove challenging, its availability on streaming could help Bird’s film reach wider audiences navigating an crowded release calendar.
As Netflix continues to expand its original animated slate, Ray Gunn stands out as a bold artistic statement from one of animation’s most acclaimed directors. Whether the hard-boiled noir approach resonates with mainstream viewers remains to be seen, but the film promises to offer something distinctly different in an industry often dominated by family-friendly fare.
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