Ray Gunn

A Private Eye With a Ray Gun

Brad Bird's Ray Gunn turns classic film noir into a bright, animated trip through the future. Sam Rockwell voices the title character, a private detective pulled into the orbit of superstar femme fatale Venus Nova, played by Scarlett Johansson.

Flying Cars, Monsters and Hard-Boiled Trouble

The world has jet packs, laser weapons and airborne traffic, but the story moves with the snap of an old detective picture. Gunn's case brings him into a playful science-fiction city where danger and innuendo sit alongside physical comedy. The contrast lets the film look strange and colorful while keeping its mystery surprisingly straight-faced.

The Movie Bird Waited Decades to Make

Bird began developing the idea in the 1990s and spent years trying to explain why its human characters and noir plot belonged in animation. That history makes Ray Gunn more personal than a routine studio assignment. It also carries the expectations that follow the director of The Iron Giant, Ratatouille and The Incredibles.

Serious Noir With Popcorn Energy

The first footage leans into quick dialogue, lively action and a moodier edge than the design initially suggests. Ray Gunn reaches select theaters before streaming on Netflix, giving Bird's long-delayed detective story a brief big-screen stop before its wider arrival.