Netflix Unveils 'Ray Gunn' Cast and First Images

Netflix has unveiled the first official images and voice cast for "Ray Gunn," an upcoming animated film directed by Brad Bird, known for his work on "The Incredibles" and "Ratatouille." The project, a blend of science fiction and 1940s detective noir, stars Sam Rockwell as the titular private eye Raymond Gunn, Scarlett Johansson as multimedia star Venus Nova, and Tom Waits as the alien character Eyera. The film is slated for release on the streaming platform in 2026.

Set in Metropia, a sprawling city envisioned as an alternate future from the perspective of 1939, the story follows Gunn, the last human private detective in a world dominated by extraterrestrials. He becomes entangled in a mystery involving murder, aliens, and Nova, a seductive celebrity figure at the heart of the intrigue. Bird, who co-wrote the screenplay with Matthew Robbins, has described the film as "Maltese Falcon meets Buck Rogers," emphasizing its fusion of classic gumshoe tropes with retrofuturistic elements.

This marks Bird's first feature-length animation since "The Incredibles 2" in 2018 and his return to original storytelling after years of development hurdles. Conceived over 30 years ago, the project...