Netflix unveiled the first trailer for ‘Ray Gunn’ on September 23, 2026, and laid out an unusual release plan for the animated feature. The film reunites the streamer with director Brad Bird, the Oscar-winning animator behind ‘The Incredibles’ and ‘Ratatouille,’ and stands as one of Netflix’s most ambitious bets in the medium to date. The nearly two-and-a-half-minute clip introduced the movie’s world and its noir tone, giving audiences their first substantial look at Bird’s return to hand-crafted, adult-leaning animation.
Set in a retro-futuristic city, ‘Ray Gunn’ is a science-fiction noir that follows a hard-boiled private investigator drawn into a case involving a controversial pop performer. Bird wrote the screenplay with Matthew Robbins and assembled a deep voice cast led by Sam Rockwell as the title detective and Scarlett Johansson as a singer named Venus Nova. Tom Waits, Matt Berry, Alan Tudyk, Bobby Cannavale, Michelle Rodriguez and Patton Oswalt fill out the ensemble.
Rather than send the movie straight to streaming, Netflix will give it a limited theatrical run in 70mm beginning December 4, 2026, before the film arrives worldwide on the service on December 18. The finished feature runs just under two hours and carries a PG rating, positioning it as a holiday option for families and for animation enthusiasts drawn to the large-format presentation and its throwback design.
The rollout reflects Netflix’s continued willingness to court filmmakers with genuine theatrical exposure, especially heading into awards season. For Bird, a director long associated with the big-screen scale of Pixar, the 70mm booking offers the kind of presentation he has publicly championed for years. It also hands Netflix a marquee animated title at a moment when the company is investing heavily to compete with the legacy animation studios.
Animation has become a fierce battleground among the major streamers and studios, and a new Bird film carries built-in prestige and curiosity. A strong response to ‘Ray Gunn’ would validate Netflix’s push into original animated features designed for a wide audience, and could bolster its standing in a category where it has chased, but not always captured, the industry’s top honors. The trailer’s arrival sets that test in motion, months before the film reaches screens.
