Picture Credit: Netflix
After more than 30 years in development, Brad Bird’s Ray Gunn has finally been seen by an audience. The retro-futuristic detective epic had its world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year. Rendy Jones gave it a 3.5/5 in our full review, calling it a mesmerizing yet safe sci-fi noir. The festival crowd had no such reservations: there was plenty of laughter throughout the screening and rousing applause as the credits rolled.
Festival Artistic Director Kristy Matheson introduced the screening by calling the film “such a sunny, incredible blast of a movie.” She described Bird as one of the undisputed greats of animation, pointing to The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, and Ratatouille, before telling the crowd: “It is beyond thrilling for us to have the opportunity, and for you to have the opportunity to be the first audience in the world to see this film.” She then welcomed Bird to the stage for a short Q&A, joined by composer Michael Giacchino and stars Scarlett Johansson and Sam Rockwell, who voices private eye Raymond “Ray” Gunn.
Elsewhere, Dan Lin, Netflix’s head of film, was also present, giving the movie a massive vote of confidence from top brass.
It All Started With a Misheard B-52s Song
Asked how the project began all those years ago, Bird admitted it started “kind of idiotically.” The first time he heard the B-52s’ “Planet Claire,” he was convinced he was listening to something else entirely:
I thought that it was a new version of Henry Mancini’s theme for Peter Gunn. And I was going, oh, this is cool. And then… I thought, no, it isn’t Peter Gunn. What is it? What is it? It’s Ray Gunn. And then I went, hmm, that’s cool. And so it kind of went from there.
Longtime readers will recognize the story, because Bird first told it during his Annecy panel back in June. In London, he added: “It was inspired by music, and music plays a big role in the film.”
The music point led to the night’s sweetest moment. “Speaking of being inspired by music,” Bird said, “this is Michael Giacchino’s birthday.” Matheson promptly led the whole audience in a quick rendition of “Happy Birthday.”
LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 10: (L to R) Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson, Brad Bird and Michael Giacchino attend the Netflix “Ray Gunn” Gala Premiere at Royal Festival Hall on October 10, 2026 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Kate Green/Getty Images for Netflix)
Scarlett Johansson: “What Attracted Me Was Brad”
Johansson voices the multimedia star Venus Nova, the role Netflix first revealed in April. Asked what drew her to it, she didn’t hesitate:
What attracted me was Brad, actually. I really was so excited to work with Brad. I’m such a massive fan of his. It was a dream of mine to collaborate with him on anything… I just wanted to work with him so badly.
She added that Bird “had written, as all of his characters are, very complex characters,” and said the process was unlike her other animated work:
I’ve worked with directors that direct animated movies, but it was such a different experience working with Brad on this, because he’s coming at it from all these other artistic perspectives.
Much of her recording was done one-on-one with the director. “I acted opposite Brad in the same space, which was just different and fun,” she said. “It’s an obstacle to be overcome,” Bird joked.
Things changed when Rockwell joined her for their scenes together. “When Sam came in, and we got to do our work together, it’s like messy in a way that is different, too, which is also great,” Johansson said.
Bird offered proof of just how loose those sessions got: “I have a good shot of them each lying on the floor, staring at the ceiling. They’re having a conversation, but they’re just on the floor, which I thought was, this is why they’re so good.”
Michael Giacchino on Working With Bird
Ray Gunn reunites Bird with Giacchino, his composer on The Incredibles and Ratatouille. Asked how the pair approach a new project, Giacchino said:
You know, being 12 years old, and you can’t wait to get out of the house, go next door, and be best friends and make something. And that’s what it’s all about. That’s how we work together.
That, he said, is “where the honesty comes from.” He added: “I love that we can just say anything to each other, no matter what, because the only thing that’s important is what’s up there. That’s the only thing that matters.”
That chemistry shows on screen. In our review, Rendy singled out Giacchino’s swinging score as a highlight of the film’s set pieces and we should also suggest you keep an eye on our site as we’ve got a full interview coming up soon.
Ray Gunn Debuts at 91% on Rotten Tomatoes
The London crowd wasn’t alone in its enthusiasm. With the review embargo lifted, Ray Gunn has debuted with a 91% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Leading the praise, The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw awarded it a perfect 5/5, calling it “smart, witty, humane.” TheWrap’s Drew Taylor went even further, declaring it “a visually stunning, thematically rich masterpiece.” Little White Lies’ David Jenkins singled out Bird and Matthew Robbins’ screenplay as “a thing of pristine beauty,” while IGN’s Jim Vejvoda gave it an 8/10 and described it as “a love letter to film noir and old-school science fiction.” Polygon’s Matt Patches put it simply: “Ray Gunn really delivers.”
It hasn’t been universal acclaim, though. The Hollywood Reporter’s Angie Han was the harshest, dismissing it as “a blandly palatable jumble of sci-fi and neo-noir clichés.” Screen International’s Wendy Ide praised the visuals but found the screenplay “laboured and inert.” Even among the positive reviews, Variety’s Guy Lodge felt it was “never quite as funny as it should be,” and IGN noted that it runs a bit long as a detective story.
Our own 3.5/5 review lands somewhere in the middle, praising Bird’s craft and imagination while wishing the film had been allowed to “fire at full power.”
When Can You Watch Ray Gunn?
If you weren’t lucky enough to be in London, you won’t have long to wait. Ray Gunn arrives globally on Netflix on December 18, 2026, and a limited 70mm theatrical run will come first for anyone who wants the big-screen experience Bird has been campaigning for.
Alongside Rockwell and Johansson, the voice cast includes Tom Waits, plus Matt Berry as the lead villain. Alan Tudyk, Bobby Cannavale, and Michael Chernus are among the recently announced additions. For more on the film’s long road to the screen, read our interview with Brad Bird from Annecy.
Are you planning to catch Ray Gunn in 70mm, or will you be watching on Netflix on December 18? Let us know in the comments.
