Netflix has released the first trailer for Ray Gunn, the new animated sci-fi noir from The Incredibles and Ratatouille filmmaker Brad Bird, ahead of its world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival and streaming release later this year. Sam Rockwell voices private detective Raymond Gunn, with Scarlett Johansson starring as Venus Nova, a famous singer who becomes caught up in his latest investigation.

Set in the futuristic city of Metropia, the film mixes classic detective noir with aliens, flying cars, holograms and a world inspired by how people in 1939 might have imagined the future. The trailer introduces Ray as he takes on a new case involving murder, aliens and Venus, while Tom Waits voices his extraterrestrial colleague Eyera. Ray and Venus are soon drawn together as the case unfolds, with Eyera warning the detective to be careful as their relationship develops.

The official synopsis reads: “The film is set in Metropia, a gigantic city in an alternate future as seen from 1939, where private eye Raymond Gunn is drawn into a case involving aliens, murder, and a multimedia star named Venus Nova.” You can watch the trailer below.

Alongside Rockwell, Johansson and Waits, the voice cast includes Matt Berry, John Ratzenberger, Kathryn Hunter, Bobby Cannavale, Alan Tudyk, Michael Chernus and Patton Oswalt.

Bird has previously described the idea behind Ray Gunn as The Maltese Falcon meeting Buck Rogers, which comes through pretty clearly in the first footage. The trailer moves between smoky detective noir and colourful sci-fi spectacle, while Ray’s search for the truth appears to put him in the middle of a much bigger mystery.

For CultureCues, the first trailer has definitely made us interested in this one. The mix of old-school noir and futuristic sci-fi looks gorgeous, and there is so much going on visually across Metropia. Sam Rockwell feels like a great fit for Ray, Scarlett Johansson’s Venus already looks like she will bring plenty to the mystery, and Tom Waits might have one of the most instantly recognisable voices you could ask for in a film like this. Brad Bird has given us some brilliant animation over the years, and Ray Gunn looks like it could be something very different for Netflix. We’re definitely looking forward to seeing where this case takes us.

Ray Gunn premieres at the BFI London Film Festival on 10 October before streaming on Netflix from 18 December 2026.

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