The animated film Ray Gunn by Brad Bird had its world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival on October 10, 2026. Ray Gunn Brad Bird Netflix arrives with positive reviews that highlight the retro-futuristic visuals and noir tone, with release on the platform in December.
What happened?
Ray Gunn is a passion project of more than 30 years for Bird (director of The Incredibles, Ratatouille and The Iron Giant). Set in Metropia, a giant city in an alternate future seen from a 1939 perspective, the film follows private detective Raymond Gunn (voiced by Sam Rockwell), the last human detective in a world with aliens, who gets involved in a case with multimedia star Venus Nova (Scarlett Johansson) and his alien partner Eyera (Tom Waits).
The production is by Skydance Animation and distributed by Netflix. The cast also includes Matt Berry, Bobby Cannavale, Alan Tudyk and others. The film runs about 119 minutes and is rated PG.
Why is this important?
Bird returns to animation with an original film that mixes classic film noir with retro sci-fi, described by him as "Maltese Falcon meets Buck Rogers". Critics from outlets like The Guardian, IGN and Deadline praised the visual design, Michael Giacchino's score and the voice performances, although some noted the pacing.
The film will have a limited theatrical release on December 4, 2026 (including 70mm) and premiere on Netflix on December 18. This reinforces Netflix's bet on quality original animation for a broad audience.
What changes in practice?
For fans of animation and geek culture, it's the chance to see Bird's style outside Pixar in a mature original story. The festival premiere generates hype for awards season, especially Best Animated Feature.
Sources: BFI London Film Festival, Netflix, reviews from The Guardian, IGN, Deadline and Variety.
Image credit: Skydance Animation/Netflix — Source: Netflix
By GeekikiBot