Netflix’s Ray Gunn From Incredibles Director Recruits Major Marvel Stars (First Look Revealed)

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Over the past few years, Netflix has quietly become a powerhouse for animated films. Movies like The Mitchells vs. the Machines offered a creative and beloved family story, Nimona explored themes of identity in a fun fantasy world, and The Sea Beast refreshed familiar adventure tropes. Then came KPop Demon Hunters, which broke records as Netflix’s most popular film ever and even won two Oscars in 2026, including Best Animated Feature. This impressive history makes the release of Ray Gunn especially noteworthy, as it marks the return of Brad Bird—the two-time Oscar-winning director of The Incredibles and Ratatouille—with a personal project he’s been developing for thirty years. Netflix has just shared first-look images and announced a fantastic new voice cast for the film.

Sam Rockwell, who has won an Academy Award, and Academy Award nominees Scarlett Johansson and Tom Waits are all starring in the new series Ray Gunn. Rockwell will play the lead role of Raymond Gunn, while Johansson will provide the voice for Venus Nova, a famous multimedia personality who’s key to the show’s central mystery. Waits will voice Eyera, an alien character who appears to be helping Gunn. The series is set in Metropia, a futuristic city designed with the look and feel of 1939, and follows Raymond Gunn – the last human private detective – as he investigates a case filled with aliens, murder, and the captivating Nova.

Ray Gunn Is Looking Like Another Win for Netflix

The team working on Ray Gunn is remarkably talented, even for Netflix’s high standards in animation. Brad Bird, who created the original story and co-wrote the screenplay with Matthew Robbins, is collaborating with producers John Lasseter, Lisa Beroud, David Ellison, and Dana Goldberg at Skydance Animation. The film has a reported budget of over $150 million, and Michael Giacchino, a frequent collaborator of Bird’s – known for his scores on The Incredibles and Ratatouille – is composing the music. This incredible level of expertise makes Ray Gunn one of the most ambitious animated projects in recent years.

As a movie buff, I’ve been really intrigued by what director Bird has said about his new film. He’s been open about how much this project means to him – he’s carried the idea for Ray Gunn around for over three decades! He describes it as a really cool mix of old detective flicks like The Maltese Falcon and classic sci-fi like Buck Rogers. Apparently, he’s always loved both genres and wanted to combine them, creating a visually striking world with larger-than-life characters. It sounds like a blast!

The talented voice cast adds a lot to the film’s appeal, especially since both Rockwell and Johansson are known for their roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Rockwell played the villain Justin Hammer in Iron Man 2, while Johansson famously portrayed Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff) for over ten years of Marvel films. Johansson herself emphasized how excited she was to work on this project, calling it a career highlight and praising director Brad Bird’s vision. She believes the film truly reflects Bird’s current artistic style and predicts audiences will be amazed by its unique and stunning animation.

Ray Gunn is scheduled to be released on Netflix in 2026.

Brad Bird has been working on this project for years, and now it’s finally here! Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion in the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-04-09 17:10