Brad Bird premiered Ray Gunn at the BFI London Film Festival
- Director Brad Bird premiered his animated feature Ray Gunn at the 70th BFI London Film Festival on October 10, Variety reported that Bird brought stars Scarlett Johansson and...
- Bird told Variety that the project originated from mishearing a song.
- The resulting score was recorded by a 74-piece orchestra at Abbey Road Studio One.
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Director Brad Bird premiered his animated feature Ray Gunn
at the 70th BFI London Film Festival on October 10, Variety reported that Bird brought stars Scarlett Johansson and Sam Rockwell to the stage at the Royal Festival Hall to sing a birthday song for composer Michael Giacchino before screening the film.
The Creative Origins and Musical Collaborations Behind Ray Gunn
Bird told Variety that the project originated from mishearing a song. He mistook the B-52’s track Planet Claire
for a reimagined arrangement of Henry Mancini’s theme for Peter Gunn
.
The resulting score was recorded by a 74-piece orchestra at Abbey Road Studio One. It marks Bird and Giacchino’s sixth collaboration following The Incredibles
.
Johansson stars as pop star Venus Nova, performing three tracks written by Kimbra, including Too Much to Ask
and Innocent
. Netflix plans to push Too Much to Ask
for an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song.
Industry Resistance and the Split from Pixar
Speaking with Variety, Bird explained that he never pitched Ray Gunn
to Pixar because the project did not fit the label’s target demographic. He noted that thirty years ago, Turner Feature Animation and Warner Bros. rejected the project for being too risky and adult-oriented, prompting him to make The Iron Giant
instead.
Critical Reception and Polarized First Reviews
Ray Gunn
received a PG rating, which has fueled mixed critical reactions ahead of its public release. The Hollywood Reporter noted that the picture was an uninspired imitation with a story too simplistic for adults and too serious for kids.
Conversely, Gold Derby offered a different perspective after viewing the first 30 minutes, concluding that it is not an animation intended for children. Sam Rockwell voices the lead private detective Raymond Ray
Gun in the retrofuturistic city of Metropia, alongside a cast featuring Tom Waits, Bobby Cannavale, Alan Tudyk, Matt Berry, and Michelle Rodriguez.
The Theatrical Rollout and Streaming Debut on Netflix
Bird stated that animation made for teenagers and adults shouldn’t be a controversy.