Bird explained that while dystopian futures are a common theme in modern cinema, he aimed for something different with Ray Gunn. Set in the sprawling metropolis of Metropia, an alternate future imagined through a 1939 lens, the film explores a world where humans and aliens coexist in an outwardly idealized setting.
"What interested me was having utopia, but also showing that characters are desperate," Bird revealed. The story centers on private investigator Raymond Gunn, voiced by Sam Rockwell, who gets entangled in a murder case involving a multimedia star named Venus Nova, played by Scarlett Johansson. Despite the gleaming mile-high buildings and interspecies harmony, themes of deceit, murder, and the darker aspects of society persist.
Ray Gunn is a project that has been decades in the making for Bird, a testament to his enduring belief in the concept. He clarified that while the idea has been with him for 35 years, it wasn't a continuous production. "We tried to get it made a long time ago and, for whatever reason, the financing didn’t follow us, so we had to set it down," he explained, noting how the project was shelved while he pursued other acclaimed films. The opportunity finally arose to revive it as a Netflix and Skydance Animation production, with Tom Waits also joining the impressive voice cast.
Joining Bird on stage was composer Michael Giacchino, who elaborated on his approach to scoring the film. Giacchino highlighted the collaboration with New Zealand singer-songwriter Kimbra, who penned and produced all original songs for Venus Nova. Giacchino's own score leans into a rich, organic sound, utilizing an 80-piece orchestra and even employing vintage recording techniques, including microphones from the 1920s and 30s. He also incorporated subtle layers of "weird vintage synthesizers," ensuring the music truly serves the narrative's emotional core and unique aesthetic.