New RAY GUNN Trailer Teases Brad Bird’s Fantastic Must Watch Retro-Futuristic Sci-Fi Movie
Netflix has dropped a new trailer for Brad Bird’s Ray Gunn! After spending more than 30 years trying to get this sci-fi noir adventure made, Bird has finally brought his crazy vision of the future to life, complete with flying cars, alien criminals, jetpacks, and a private detective packing some seriously cool technology.
I've already had the chance to watch Ray Gunn, and I had a blast with it! I'm a huge fan of Bird's work, and this is another great movie from a filmmaker who knows how to deliver wildly entertaining stories. It's got personality, style, humor, and a fantastic world that I think audiences are going to love exploring.
The story follows Raymond Gunn, voiced by Sam Rockwell, a private investigator who gets tangled up in a dangerous mystery involving murder, aliens, and a famous singer named Venus Nova, played by Scarlett Johansson.
The latest trailer gives us another look at Metropia, the spectacular retro-futuristic metropolis where the story takes place. It's a sprawling city filled with towering Art Deco skyscrapers, flying vehicles, strange creatures, and all kinds of futuristic gadgets. One particularly fun moment features a shopkeeper selling Gunn a teleportation ray gun.
Bird originally pitched the film as The Maltese Falcon meets Buck Rogers, which is a pretty great combination. He took inspiration from classic film noir and imagined what Art Deco architecture and technology might have become if World War II had never happened.
The result is a gorgeous alternate future that looks like something pulled straight from a vintage science fiction magazine.
What's interesting is that Ray Gunn feels like the movie Bird wanted to make with Tomorrowland back in 2015. That film teased an incredible futuristic city but didn't spend nearly enough time letting audiences experience it.
Here, Metropia is alive with activity, and beneath all the shiny technology and spectacular architecture is a nasty criminal underworld filled with corruption and murder.
The supporting voice cast is great as well, with Tom Waits playing Gunn's one-eyed alien partner, Eye-Ra. The cast also includes Bobby Cannavale, Alan Tudyk, Matt Berry, and Michelle Rodriguez.
Longtime Bird collaborator Michael Giacchino composed the score. His previous work with the director includes The Incredibles, Tomorrowland, and other projects, and he also scored The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
One thing I really appreciate about Ray Gunn is that Bird isn't treating animation like something that has to be made exclusively for kids. This is a sci-fi detective story dealing with murder, organized crime, and some pretty shady characters.
It's refreshing to see a filmmaker use animation to tell this kind of story instead of playing it safe with another family-friendly adventure. Bird, who also directed Ratatouille, has been pushing to get this original project made for decades, and he's clearly tired of Hollywood's obsession with recycling the same franchises.
As he explained in Netflix's production notes, “We don’t just want to see Roman-numeral movies.” I couldn't agree more. Hollywood could use a hell of a lot more original movies like this, especially from filmmakers who actually have something imaginative to offer.
I've always loved Bird's movies, and Ray Gunn is another reminder of why he's one of my favorite animation directors. The guy understands storytelling, knows how to build an incredible world, and makes movies that are incredibly fun to watch. After seeing this one, I'm excited for everyone else to experience it!
Ray Gunn opens in select theaters on December 4th before hitting Netflix on December 18th, where it'll be going head-to-head with Marvel's Avengers: Doomsday theatrical release.
Check out the new trailer and get ready for one hell of a trip to Metropia!