Phil Roberts 
We offer our quick-fire reactions to the London Film Festival Screening of Brad Bird’s Ray Gun.
Today, the Future of the Force team got its first look at Brad Bird’s latest animated adventure, Ray Gunn, and what a wonderfully wild ride it promises to be! This futuristic noir detective thriller is heading to select cinemas on December 4 before beaming its way onto Netflix on December 18.
But earlier today, ahead of the film’s World Premiere at the BFI London Film Festival, our News Editor, Carl Roberts, and I had the chance to dive headfirst into Bird’s bold new animated world. With a futuristic setting, a noir-inspired mystery, and the creative mind behind The Incredibles and Ratatouille at the helm, there’s plenty to get excited about! But does Ray Gunn have the makings of a new noir classic, or has this detective adventure left us searching for clues?
Join us for our quick-fire reactions as we share our first impressions ahead of our full review, which will be landing on the Future of the Force website in the coming days. Lights, camera, mystery!
QUICK-FIRE REACTIONS:
Carl Roberts says “Brad Bird’s Ray Gunn is a brilliant detective film noir brought to life in stunningly colourful animation form. With Sam Rockwell and Scarlett Johansson in top vocal form and with a great story and visuals, the film is a real movie highlight. A real must-see movie event!”
And I said: “Okay, Brad Bird’s Ray Gunn is an absolute triumph. The director has crafted a gloriously atmospheric sandbox that is visually stunning, immersive, and gorgeous to look at. The world-building is phenomenal, the characters are compelling, and the score is truly superb!”
CAST & CREW
Brad Bird has assembled a seriously impressive dream team of talent to bring his futuristic vision to life. Leading the voice cast are Hollywood heavyweights Sam Rockwell and Scarlett Johansson, who lend their voices to Raymond Gunn and Venus Nova, respectively.
But they certainly aren’t flying solo. Joining them is an eclectic ensemble of talent including 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.
Behind the scenes, Bird has reunited with longtime collaborator John Lasseter, who joins the production team alongside Lisa Beroud, David Ellison, and Dana Goldberg, producing for Skydance Animation. Bird directs from a screenplay co-written with Matthew Robbins, while another of his longtime collaborators, Michael Giacchino, is on board to compose the film’s score.
With that much talent packed into one project, Ray Gunn is shaping up to be quite the animated spectacle. A Brad Bird adventure, a stellar voice cast, a noir-inspired sci-fi world, and a Michael Giacchino score? Yeah, Netflix, you officially have our attention.
RELEASE
From the glorious atmosphere to the sumptuous futuristic city of Metropia, Ray Gunn is quite literally a feast for the eyes. Throw in a retro-noir detective story, a stellar voice cast, and a healthy dose of sci-fi spectacle, and Netflix may have a genuine gem on its hands this winter.
Better still, Ray Gunn is getting a limited big-screen release on December 4, with screenings available in both standard and 70mm formats. So, if you have the opportunity, get ready to experience Brad Bird’s dazzling new world on the biggest screen possible. Then, on December 18, the film will make the jump to Netflix, delivering an early Christmas present for animation and sci-fi fans everywhere.
Our team clearly had a blast with the film, so get ready to embrace this new noir classic when the film hits cinema screens on December 4th.
Meet Phil Roberts! He’s the dedicated owner, daily content manager, and editor-in-chief of The Future of the Force. Phil is a budding novelist who turned his passion toward writing about the franchises he loves back in 2016. He’s a huge fan of all things Star Wars, Batman, DC, Marvel, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, King Kong, and the Ray Harryhausen movies. Phil is a BFI-accredited journalist and a distinguished member of the Film Critics Association UK.
If he’s not catching a movie at the cinema, you can bet he’s streaming something just as awesome!
