Skydance Animation and Netflix released a first look at the upcoming Ray Gunn today, Brad Bird’s next sci-fi outing. The director may not have the longest filmography, but he’s directed more than his fair share of animated hits: The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, and Ratatouille, and the upcoming Ray Gunn has the chance to be his next. It’s targeting a 2026 release, and will be Bird’s first film since The Incredible 2 was released in 2018.
It’s been a long time coming for Ray Gunn as Bird first wrote the script for the film in 1996 (the same year he signed up for The Iron Giant). It takes place in Metropia, a retro futuristic city, and follows the private eye Raymond Gunn, voiced by Sam Rockwell. He investigates a case “involving aliens, murder, and a multimedia star named Venus Nova,” according to the film’s official description.
“Ray Gunn has been in my mind for over 30 years,” Bird said in a news release. “The film is a blend of sci-fi and classic detective movies from the ’40s… it’s Maltese Falcon meets Buck Rogers. I’ve been a fan of both of those sort of genres, and blending them together seemed fun, and a chance to play with a lot of very cinematic elements, and extreme characters.”
While a trailer hasn’t been shared yet, Skydance and Netflix revealed a few images from the film, which you can check out below.
Work on Ray Gunn began in 2022 and finds Bird reuniting with his old Pixar colleague and Ray Gunn producer John Lasseter, who left Pixar and Disney in 2018 after allegations of sexual misconduct. Lisa Beroud, David Ellison, and Dana Goldberg are also producing, with Scarlet Johansson (Venus Nova) and Tom Waits (Eyera) rounding out the voice cast so far.
“Having the opportunity to collaborate with Brad Bird is a career milestone for me,” Johansson said. “This project is so uniquely special because it is a total realization of where Brad is currently on his artistic journey. I can’t wait for audiences to see this extraordinary animation that looks like nothing else out there.”
Ray Gunn will be released in 2026 on Netflix.
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