Scarlett Johansson Teases Netflix’s Ray Gunn as a One-of-a-Kind Sci-Fi Thrill Ride

Netflix has spent the past few years showing off just how much content it can crank out—and, let’s be honest, a ridiculous amount of people are watching it. Between mega-hits like 'Squid Game', 'Wednesday', and the never-ending parade of movie originals (think 'The Gray Man' or 'The Adam Project'), they’ve somehow cornered the market on both word-of-mouth buzz and monster streaming numbers. And yeah, their animated projects aren’t sitting quietly on the sidelines either.

Now things are getting even more interesting: Netflix just officially announced 'Ray Gunn', a new animated sci-fi action flick with some especially big names attached.

Brad Bird and Two MCU Veterans Walk Into a Netflix Movie...

Here’s the quick version: Brad Bird—the guy who gave us 'The Incredibles', 'Ratatouille', and 'The Iron Giant' (so, you know, not exactly a rookie when it comes to animation)—is both directing and writing this one. He co-wrote the script with Matthew Robbins, whose credits include 'Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio'. This isn’t Bird working off a hand-me-down story either; 'Ray Gunn' is based on his own original idea.

What will definitely get Marvel diehards curious: the movie stars Sam Rockwell and Scarlett Johansson, who Marvel fans will remember as Justin Hammer and Black Widow (respectively) from 'Iron Man 2'. If you want to get technical, this is their third movie together, if you count 'Jojo Rabbit' back in 2019. Now they’re voicing the leads: Rockwell is Raymond Gunn, and Johansson is Venus Nova.

Johansson’s Big Animation Moment

Seems like Johansson is pretty stoked about this movie; she even called working with Bird 'a career milestone.' Here’s what she said in the film’s official announcement:

'Having the opportunity to collaborate with Brad Bird is a career milestone for me; I have loved his work my entire life. This project is so uniquely special because it is a total realization of where Brad is currently on his artistic journey. I can’t wait for audiences to see this extraordinary animation that looks like nothing else out there.'

If you were wondering how much Hollywood genuinely likes Brad Bird, I guess that answers it.

The Setup: Noir, Futurism, Aliens—You Name It

So what’s 'Ray Gunn' actually about? Here’s the official logline, trimmed for clarity:

'In Metropia, a gigantic city in an alternate future as seen from 1939, private eye Raymond Gunn is drawn into a case involving aliens, murder, and a multimedia star named Venus Nova.'

Let’s break that down: Take old-school noir detective vibes, toss in an alternate-reality future imagined by someone in the 1930s, add aliens, sprinkle in a celebrity, and cue the murder mystery. Basically, it sounds like a genre blender with Brad Bird stirring the pot, and yeah, that sounds pretty wild.

Netflix’s Animation Ambitions Keep Growing

This isn’t a one-off. Netflix has been spending heavily on animated projects, and with 'KPop Demon Hunters' just setting a streaming record for the platform, there’s serious momentum here. 'Ray Gunn' headlines the platform’s 2026 animation slate—if you’re a fan of ambitious, original animated movies (or just want to see Johansson’s latest vocal turn), mark your calendar... well, sort of. No exact release date yet, just '2026' for now.

• Director: Brad Bird ('The Incredibles', 'Ratatouille')
• Writers: Brad Bird & Matthew Robbins
• Voices: Sam Rockwell (Raymond Gunn), Scarlett Johansson (Venus Nova)
• Setting: Alternate future/1939-inspired mega-city called Metropia
• Premise: Noir, aliens, murder mystery, celebrity intrigue
• Release window: 2026 on Netflix (no specific date yet)

Bottom line: Netflix clearly thinks it has something special in 'Ray Gunn'. With Brad Bird at the helm and a couple of ex-Avengers co-starring, it’s the kind of project that could actually live up to the streaming hype machine—and for once, maybe even deliver something audiences haven’t already seen a hundred times before.