Scarlett Johansson’s new animated neo-noir thriller Ray Gunn is already being called a landmark in the medium — and Guillermo del Toro just handed it the highest possible endorsement. The filmmaker, known for his reverence of cinematic craft, didn’t just praise the film. He worshipped it. In a lengthy post on X, he described Brad Bird’s latest as a ‘marvel to behold’, a ‘100% blast’ in a theatre, and one of the most emotionally resonant animated films ever made. He even demanded a CD of Michael Giacchino’s score, not just a digital download. That’s how serious he is. 

The movie, set in Metropia. A retro-futuristic city where humans and aliens live side by side, follows private eye Raymond Gunn (Sam Rockwell) as he investigates the murder of Venus Nova (Johansson), a pop star whose fame blurs into myth. It’s noir with wings: think Blade Runner, Chinatown, and Incendies all folded into a single, glittering frame. Del Toro compared the visuals to Moebius, the mood to classic detective films, and the emotional core to the best of Bird’s work. Tender, unironic, deeply human. 

And then there’s Tom Waits. Not just as a voice, but as Eyera, Gunn’s alien partner, a role del Toro likened to Miles Archer from The Maltese Falcon. Waits, who also lends his distinctive vocal texture to the film’s soundtrack, is one of several stars in a cast that includes Alan Tudyk, Michelle Rodriguez, Patton Oswalt, and John Ratzenberger. The film’s animation, according to del Toro, reaches a level of micro-gesture precision rarely seen in digital cinema. Especially in two close-ups inside a parked car that he says are ‘amongst the most remarkable’ in the history of the medium. 

It’s no surprise the film has a 93% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. But what’s unusual is the way it’s being positioned: a Netflix release with a theatrical rollout. Ray Gunn will open in select cinemas on December 4, including 70mm screenings, a rare move for an animated project. Del Toro insists this isn’t optional. ‘It must be made available to be experienced collectively,’ he wrote. The streaming launch follows on December 18. 

Bird and co-writer Matthew Robbins have been nurturing this script since the 1990s. It was shelved for years before Netflix finally greenlit it. After Bird had already proven himself with Pixar’s hits. Now, at long last, it’s here. And if del Toro’s reaction is any guide, it’s not just another animated movie. It’s a statement. 

So what happens next? The film’s limited theatrical run means only a fraction of audiences will see it the way it was meant to be seen. But with a director like del Toro vouching for its power, and a score that demands physical ownership, the question isn’t whether Ray Gunn will be watched. It’s whether it’ll be felt.