Brad Bird Discusses Taking 'Ray Gunn' to Skydance and Netflix Instead of Pixar
Director Brad Bird discusses his animated feature 'Ray Gunn,' explaining why he chose to take the project to Skydance Animation and Netflix rather than Pixar. Conceived nearly three decades ago, the noir detective caper follows a detective voiced by Sam Rockwell and a singer voiced by Scarlett Johansson, and is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on Dec. 18 following a debut at the BFI London Film Festival.
Key points
- Director Brad Bird's animated film 'Ray Gunn' is set to premiere on Netflix on Dec. 18.
- The project was produced by Skydance Animation after being conceived by Bird nearly three decades ago.
- Bird chose not to pitch the film at Pixar because he felt its teen and adult target audience fell outside Pixar's traditional family-friendly wheelhouse.
- The voice cast features Sam Rockwell as the detective Ray Gunn and Scarlett Johansson as superstar singer Venus Nova.
What Happened
Director Brad Bird has discussed the decades-long development of his animated noir detective caper 'Ray Gunn,' which is produced by Skydance Animation and set to premiere on Netflix on Dec. 18 following a debut at the BFI London Film Festival. Conceived around thirty years ago after Bird heard The B-52s song 'Planet Claire,' the film follows a private detective named Ray Gunn, voiced by Sam Rockwell, and superstar singer Venus Nova, voiced by Scarlett Johansson.
Context
Bird explained that he never pitched 'Ray Gunn' to Pixar because he felt the studio is known for catering to younger family audiences rather than the older demographic he aimed to reach with this film. According to Bird, the perception that animation for teens and adults is controversial is flawed, noting that there are far fewer animated projects aimed at older audiences despite them making up a major share of moviegoers. Skydance Animation, headed by John Lasseter and featuring David Ellison as a producer, provided a home for the project's distinct audience target.
Longtime collaborator Michael Giacchino composed the film's score, utilizing a 74-piece orchestra at Abbey Road Studios. Bird also confirmed that he plans to return to Pixar following this project to direct a third 'Incredibles' movie.
What's Next
'Ray Gunn' is scheduled to premiere at the BFI London Film Festival on Oct. 10, followed by its wider release on Netflix on Dec. 18.
Why it matters
The release of 'Ray Gunn' highlights the creative decisions prominent filmmakers face when targeting older demographics in animation, a medium predominantly focused on younger family audiences.
What we know
- Skydance Animation's 'Ray Gunn' is directed by Brad Bird.
- The film is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on Dec. 18 after debuting at the BFI London Film Festival on Oct. 10.
- The voice cast includes Sam Rockwell and Scarlett Johansson.
- Michael Giacchino composed the score for the film.
