Brad Bird's animated film Ray Gunn to debut on Netflix Dec 18

Director Brad Bird's animated feature Ray Gunn, originally written in the 1990s and later shelved, is slated for a Netflix premiere on December 18. After reviving the project with Skydance Animation, Bird secured Netflix's backing, noting the platform's willingness to fund ambitious, original ideas. The film stars Sam Rockwell as the titular private‑eye detective and Scarlett Johansson as the starlet Venus Nova. Bird told reporters at San Diego Comic‑Con that the story remains largely unchanged — the same characters, structure and ending — though the delivery of information has shifted over time. He also said, “I’ve bounced around to all these different studios… Netflix is one of the few places now that will allow you to have considerable resources dedicated to a new idea.” The release coincides with other major December launches, but Bird expects Ray Gunn to stand out as a fresh, non‑sequel animated offering.