Netflix Unveils Trailer for Brad Bird's Animated Mystery Ray Gunn
Netflix has released the full trailer for Ray Gunn, the animated neo-noir science fiction mystery from Brad Bird, Variety reported.
The film will stream globally on Netflix on Dec. 18, 2026, according to the company's release calendar, Netflix. On YouTube, the clip is posted under the title "Ray Gunn | Official Trailer | Netflix", YouTube.
The story centres on Raymond "Ray" Gunn, a private eye detective working a city where humans and aliens mix. He is drawn into a case involving aliens, murder and multimedia star Venus Nova, according to Netflix's synopsis, Tudum. Netflix describes the project as a retro-futuristic caper, which is a fast-moving crime adventure set in a future imagined from the past, Tudum. The neo-noir label points to its roots: a modern take on the shadowy, hard-luck detective story.
Sam Rockwell voices Gunn himself, the weary investigator at the centre of it all, Variety reported. Scarlett Johansson plays Venus Nova, a pop star caught in scandal. Tom Waits plays Eyera, Gunn's alien colleague. He is not alone for long.
The wider voice cast includes Patton Oswalt, Kathryn Hunter, John Ratzenberger and Jamie Costa. Viewers will recognise familiar voices from comedy, stage and animation among that group. Together they fill out the suspects, sidekicks and power players around Gunn's case.
Behind the camera, Bird signed a deal with Skydance Animation to direct Ray Gunn back in 2021, Variety reported. Producers on the film are Bird, John Lasseter, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Lisa Beroud. Bird stepped away from Pixar's Incredibles 3, due in 2028, to focus on Ray Gunn and was replaced by Peter Sohn.
What makes this stand out is the blend. It pairs the behaviour of a classic detective yarn, a lone investigator and a dangerous client, with spaceships and show business. For fans, this means a December date to circle, with the whole film arriving at once on streaming.
