Ray Gunn isn’t just your usual animated film. Brad Bird creates a world that feels both familiar and completely unexpected, centering the story around a vision of 1939 that stretches far beyond the characters themselves. In Ray Gunn, Metropia feels alive. Buildings, signs, vehicles, streets and seemingly ordinary objects are constantly moving, creating a world that feels as though it continues to exist even when the camera shifts its attention elsewhere.
Set in the gigantic city of Metropia, Ray Gunn follows private eye Raymond Gunn as he becomes caught up in a mystery involving aliens, murder and a multimedia star named Venus Nova. What initially appears to be a traditional detective story gradually expands into something much more layered, combining science fiction, mystery, humor and a distinct visual identity that feels rooted in another era.
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During the press campaign for the film, we had the opportunity to get further inside the world of Metropia and learn more about the creative decisions that helped shape what audiences will eventually see on screen. There is a tremendous amount of thought behind the way this world looks and moves, from the drawings and character designs to the use of color and visual psychology. Every choice is designed to help move the story forward and influence how the audience experiences a particular scene.
That attention to detail is part of what makes Ray Gunn stand out. The characters may be animated, but the world around them has its own personality. The movement of objects, the colors within a scene and the design of the environment all work together to create something that feels much larger than the individual characters. Metropia isn’t simply a backdrop for the story. It becomes part of the storytelling itself.
At the center of that world is Raymond Gunn, a private eye whose investigation becomes increasingly complicated as the mystery unfolds. One of the most interesting relationships is the connection between Raymond and his alien companion, Eyera. As the story progresses, their relationship begins to reveal years of history between them. Their bond is built on trust, shared experiences and the kind of understanding that comes from knowing someone for a very long time.
What makes their connection particularly interesting is that it doesn’t always need to be explained through dialogue. Small gestures, looks and moments of silence can communicate what the characters are thinking or feeling. There is a sense that these two have experienced things together long before the audience enters their world. That history gives their relationship an emotional quality that feels lived in rather than simply written into the script.
Brad Bird has also spoken about how meaningful it has been to finally bring Ray Gunn to life after the project remained on the shelf for so long. There is something especially rewarding about seeing a filmmaker return to a story that has stayed with him and finally have the opportunity to realize the vision with the technology, artists and performers needed to bring it to the screen.
That vision is supported by an extraordinary voice cast. Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Waits, Alan Tudyk, Matt Berry, Bobby Cannavale, Michael Chernus, Kether Donohue, Michelle Rodriguez, Aasif Mandvi, Matt Jones, Kathryn Hunter, John Ratzenberger, Justin Peck and Patton Oswalt all contribute to a world where the characters need to feel larger than drawings on a screen. Animation requires a unique kind of performance because the actors are often creating characters that will ultimately be shaped through movement, design and editing. In Ray Gunn, the combination of those performances with Brad Bird’s visual direction creates a world that can pull the audience in every direction. One moment you can be focused on Raymond, the next the environment itself demands your attention.
There is also something exciting about seeing so many different creative disciplines working together. The voice performances provide the personalities, while the animators, designers, color artists, writers and filmmakers build the physical world around them. The result is a true team effort, with every element contributing to the feeling that Metropia is a place that exists beyond the boundaries of the story. Ray Gunn feels like a film built around the idea that animation doesn’t have to limit imagination. Instead, it can allow filmmakers to create an entire world where nearly anything can move, change and become part of the narrative. Brad Bird takes the visual language of 1939 and pushes it into an alternate future, creating a retro-inspired science fiction world filled with mystery, personality and motion.
After spending time learning more about the creative process behind Ray Gunn, what stands out most is how much intention has gone into making the world feel alive. The characters may be at the center of the story, but everything surrounding them has a purpose. From the colors and movement to the smallest visual details, Metropia is designed to keep the audience looking, listening and wondering what might happen next.
Ray Gunn arrives in select theaters and on limited 70mm screens December 4, 2026, before coming to Netflix on December 18, 2026.
