Netflix Reveals New Animation Lineup, Including 'Ray Gunn'

Ray Gunn is an animated science-fiction detective film directed by Brad Bird, following private eye Raymond Gunn as he is drawn into a murder case in an alternate future imagined from 1939. It premier

Brad Bird’s feature-length animated film *Ray Gunn* is a sci-fi detective movie set in an alternate future that people in 1939 might have imagined. Netflix will release the film on December 18, 2026. Its official Netflix release schedule in France also lists the same date.

A Case That Begins in Metropia

The story is set in Metropia, a vast city stretching endlessly upward. Private detective Raymond Gunn is drawn into a case involving aliens, murder, and media star Venus Nova. In a city inspired by Art Deco and the optimistic vision of the future before World War II, flying cars and jetpacks coexist, bringing together the case structure of a classic detective story and the landscapes of science fiction.

Where the Human Detective Still Fits

Ray, voiced by Sam Rockwell, is a small-time private detective in an era when machines handle most detective work. Scarlett Johansson voices Venus Nova, a pop star caught between fame and scandal, while Tom Waits plays Eyera, Ray’s one-eyed alien colleague. Bird describes the film as a combination of 1940s detective movies and science fiction, making the contrast between the genres a central element of the work.

A Feature Years in the Making

*Ray Gunn* is a project Bird has been developing for more than 30 years, and it is produced by Skydance Animation. Skydance has introduced the film as Bird’s next directorial project in its animation lineup. Its combination of a classic noir private detective, the technology of a futuristic city, and aliens brought to life through animation is the film’s defining distinction.