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- From a shelved 1990s script to a modern Netflix release
- What Ray Gunn’s world looks like: Metropia and the film’s tone
- Cast revealed: Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Waits lead the voices
- Creative team and production background
- Why Ray Gunn is important for animation’s audience reach
- Release timing, promotional images, and what to expect
After decades of waiting, Brad Bird’s long-gestating detective sci-fi is resurfacing. Netflix has unveiled first-look images and a headline voice cast for Ray Gunn, the retro-futuristic animated film that Bird first conceived 30 years ago.
From a shelved 1990s script to a modern Netflix release
Bird wrote Ray Gunn in the mid-1990s. The original plan was a Turner Feature Animation production. Corporate changes after the Turner/Time Warner merger put the project on ice. Bird moved on and made The Iron Giant at Warner Bros., a film that cemented his reputation.
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Now, the property has been revived and given new life. Skydance Animation is producing, and Netflix will stream the finished movie in 2026. First-look artwork teases a visual style that blends noir and futuristic motifs.
What Ray Gunn’s world looks like: Metropia and the film’s tone
The story unfolds in Metropia, a sprawling city imagined as an alternate 1939. The tone fuses classic detective drama with science fiction. Bird calls the film a mash-up of Maltese Falcon and Buck Rogers.
- Setting: a retro-futuristic metropolis with Art Deco and pulp influences.
- Atmosphere: smoky, cinematic noir mixed with speculative tech.
- Genre blend: mystery, noir, and outer-worldly intrigue.
This hybrid approach lets Bird play with exaggerated characters and bold visual storytelling. He has said he wants to draw in viewers who don’t normally watch animation.
Cast revealed: Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Waits lead the voices
Netflix announced a prominent voice ensemble. The names are meant to match the film’s star-powered, old-Hollywood-meets-futuristic vibe.
Principal cast and roles
- Sam Rockwell as Raymond Gunn, the private eye at the center of the plot.
- Scarlett Johansson as Venus Nova, a multimedia star whose life connects to the mystery.
- Tom Waits as Eyera, an alien figure with a distinctive presence.
Johansson praised Bird’s artistry, calling the animation unlike anything she has seen. The casting underlines the studio’s ambition to blend mainstream star power with distinctive animation.
Creative team and production background
Bird co-wrote the latest script with Matthew Robbins. He directs the movie, overseeing the return of his long-held vision. Production is handled by Skydance Animation, the studio launched by David Ellison in 2017.
- Producers: John Lasseter, David Ellison, Lisa Beroud, Dana Goldberg, and Brad Bird.
- Studio notes: This is Skydance’s fourth feature and their second release this year.
- Previous Skydance titles include projects that emphasize high-end, cinematic animation.
Bird stepped away from directing Incredibles 3 to focus on this film. He remains involved with the Incredibles franchise as a writer and producer.
Why Ray Gunn is important for animation’s audience reach
Bird has long argued that animation can tell many kinds of stories. Ray Gunn is a deliberate bid to expand that perception. He wants to attract viewers who dismiss animation as a children-only medium.
The film’s blend of noir and sci-fi aims to show how animation can host adult themes and complex, genre-driven narratives. Bird hopes to persuade new audiences by delivering cinematic scale and mature storytelling in animated form.
Release timing, promotional images, and what to expect
Netflix plans to release Ray Gunn in 2026. Early promotional photos highlight a sleek, retro-future design and moody lighting.
- Release platform: Netflix streaming.
- Release year: 2026.
- Visual cues: vintage 1930s influences fused with speculative technology.
Skydance has positioned Ray Gunn as a major release in its slate. The studio also expects the film to complement other features arriving this year from the same team.
