Brad Bird’s Long-Awaited Sci-Fi Noir Film, Ray Gunn, Premieres at San Diego Comic-Con 2026

The highly anticipated animated film, directed by Brad Bird (The Incredibles, Ratatouille), made its grand entrance at the 2026 San Diego Comic-Con. Bird’s latest masterpiece, Ray Gunn, is set to hit Netflix on December 18, 2026, and promises to be a thrilling ride into the world of sci-fi noir.

During the My Cinematic Journey SDCC panel, hosted by Collider EIC Steven Weintraub, Bird took the audience on a journey through the making of Ray Gunn. The director revealed that his elevator pitch for the film was ‘Buck Rogers meets The Maltese Falcon,’ describing it as a story about ‘desperate characters in an alternate future.’

The film’s setting, Metropia, is a futuristic city filled with giant, brilliantly lit towers and flying cars, but with an art deco/1930s vibe. This unique blend of styles is reminiscent of Coruscant from the Star Wars universe and Batman: The Animated Series’ Gotham City. Bird and his team of animators worked tirelessly to pack the frames with details, ensuring that viewers can let their eyes drift and discover something new with each viewing.

The opening scenes of Ray Gunn introduce us to Eyera, a lanky, one-eyed green alien voiced by Tom Waits. Eyera pays off a character to obtain a janitor’s uniform, allowing him to sneak into an office where he discovers the title character, Ray Gunn (voiced by Sam Rockwell). The noir-infused visuals bring to life the square-jawed, sardonic hero Ray and his pal Eyera as they search for secret files, only to be interrupted by a competing duo of aliens and a large, hulking female alien whose office they’re breaking into.

As the story unfolds, we learn that this lady and Ray know each other, and their four-extra-arms reveal during a fierce fight is a testament to their complicated past. Ray’s heroics save the day as he uses a freeze ray device to form solid ice around her head. However, Eyera’s attempts to escape are thwarted by Ray’s decision to stay and smash open the ice, leading to a series of hilarious Looney Tunes-style bashes of her head.

Brad Bird emphasized the importance of building a rich and immersive world in Ray Gunn. He noted that the film takes place nearly entirely in Metropia, a city that is both sci-fi and urban. The director and his team worked tirelessly to pack the frames with details, ensuring that viewers can discover something new with each viewing.

Ray Gunn is scored by the talented Michael Giacchino, who has worked with Bird on all of his films since The Incredibles. Giachinno made a surprise appearance at the panel, revealing that he mixed elements from ’50s sci-fi, ’30s and ’40s noir, and some slight jazz to create the film’s unique score. His goal was to ensure that the score didn’t sound like The Incredibles, but instead, something entirely new and unique.

Added Giachinno, ‘At its core, [Ray Gunn has] a very emotional score but it has a lot of action, a lot of fun, and hopefully is its own thing.’

The panel also shed light on the long and arduous journey to bring Ray Gunn to life. Bird revealed that it took him 30 years to get the film made, citing the need for someone to pay for it as a major hurdle. Despite the challenges, Bird remained committed to his vision, and the end result is a film that promises to be a thrilling ride into the world of sci-fi noir.

Ray Gunn is set to hit Netflix on December 18, 2026, and promises to be a must-watch for fans of science fiction and animation.