‘Ray Gunn’: Release Date, Voice Cast, Plot, and Everything to Know About the Brad Bird Movie

Brad Bird’s animated noir, Ray Gunn, finally has a release date. At Netflix’s Next on Netflix presentation during the 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, the streamer unveiled fresh character images and screened the first footage from the film (via Deadline).

Ray Gunn (2026)	Details
Director	Brad Bird
Cast	Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson, and Tom Waits
Distribution	Netflix
Release Date	December 18, 2026

A passion project more than 30 years in the making, Ray Gunn is the two-time Oscar winner’s bid to prove animation isn’t just for kids. Bird told Tudum that his movie “was always meant to be a blend of sci-fi and classic detective movies from the ’40s.” He further summed up his movie as “The Maltese Falcon meets Buck Rogers.” Here’s everything to know about the movie.

Ray Gunn Release Date: When Is Brad Bird’s Movie Coming Out?

After decades in development, Ray Gunn arrives on Netflix on December 18, 2026. The date was announced during the streamer’s packed Annecy session. The timing of this release date is strategic as the late-December window is historically one of Netflix’s most-watched stretches.

Interestingly, the year-end release also makes it a prominent contender for the awards season. However, for that to happen, the streamer will have to go for a limited theatrical release before the streaming release. While there have been no announcements made so far in that regard, it is still a possibility.

Ray Gunn Cast: Who Are Voicing the Leads?

Oscar winner Sam Rockwell voices the title character, Raymond Gunn. Bird was totally impressed by the actor’s voice acting, sharing with Tudum, “Sam is a wonderful actor, and he does a fantastic job giving the animators a bar to reach in terms of performance.”

Scarlett Johansson plays Venus Nova, the world’s most famous pop star, whose scandals threaten her career. She considered working with Bird a “career milestone,” adding that she “loved his work my entire life.” She further shared, “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.”

Grammy winner Tom Waits rounds out the leads as Eyera, a one-eyed alien who is Ray’s sidekick. Bird shared that he had “long admired [Tom] on several levels.” The filmmaker added, “It was a blast to work with him.” Bird worked with more amazing voice talents in the movie, who will be revealed soon.

Ray Gunn Plot: What We Know About the Futuristic Animated Noir?

At the center of Ray Gunn is the titular private eye, who struggles to find work in an era where machines do most of the detective work. The setting is this gigantic city, Metropia, in a futuristic world. Bird spoke about this world, sharing, “What if cities just kept getting taller and taller and more streamlined, and cars could fly, and people had jetpacks as an alternative form of getting about?” Here, Gunn is pulled into a case involving the pop superstar, Venus Nova.

For Bird, the genre blending is the highlight of the movie. A detective story set in a sci-fi world that appeals to viewers of all ages. The noir aspect might give the movie a boost, especially after the success of Prime Video’s Spider-Noir. As of now, we have very little to go on about the central mystery in the plot.

Is There A Trailer For Ray Gunn?

Netflix has yet to drop a public trailer. However, the audience members at Annecy got a glimpse at the first few minutes of the movie. According to TheWrap, the footage establishes Metropia, with elaborate visuals of flying cars, commuters on jetpacks, aliens mingling with humans, and a black-and-white hologram literally welcoming visitors “to the future.”

The sequence also introduces Tom Waits’s Eyera and Sam Rockwell’s Ray Gunn. In the scene, the protagonist accidentally freezes an alien office manager. Instead of fleeing the scene, he stops to free her, establishing his moral compass. Fans can get a glimpse of the movie soon when a trailer/teaser drops.

Where to Watch Ray Gunn?

Ray Gunn will stream exclusively on Netflix starting December 18, 2026. As mentioned earlier, there’s no separate wide theatrical release announced, so a Netflix subscription is the way to watch. The film is a Skydance Animation co-production. For viewers eager to plan ahead, Netflix has a “Remind Me” option set up on the film’s title page.

Two-time Oscar winner Brad Bird built his reputation on animation that appeals to all ages. He has directed modern classics like The Iron Giant, The Incredibles and its sequel, and Ratatouille, plus the live-action Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol. That track record for ambitious storytelling makes Ray Gunn a hugely anticipated release.

What do you think of Bird’s new movie? Let us know in the comments below!