Skydance Animation has set their phasers to stun before announcing that Brad Bird will headline their new animated feature, Ray Gunn. Bird is, of course, the Oscar-winning filmmaker who made The Incredibles films, Ratatouille, The Iron Giant, and Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol. Skydance has set Bird as the co-writer and director for Ray Gunn. Matthew Robbins (Crimson Peak, Mimic, Pinocchio) also wrote the script with Bird. John Lasseter, David Ellison, and Dana Goldberg will produce for Skydance Animation.
“From his work on The Iron Giant to The Incredibles films and the work we did together on Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, Brad is one of the greatest filmmakers working in the industry today,” said Skydance CEO David Ellison. “As a lifelong fan of animation, it is incredibly rewarding to be re-teaming with him to create this bold new world and we’re excited to get started.”
Skydance Animation head Lasseter and president Holly Edwards also joined the chorus by saying they are “thrilled to partner with Brad to finally bring his vision of Ray Gunn to the screen. “From its immersive world to its rich characters, we can’t wait to explore this story and to create a one-of-a-kind animated experience for audiences around the world.”
Bird said he’s “had some of my best filmmaking experiences with Skydance and Pixar, so it’s wonderful to be working with David, John, and Dana again under one roof on Ray Gunn, a film I’ve wanted to make for a long time. We all love movies, and are crazy excited to create something new, thrilling, and intensely cinematic.”
Details about Ray Gunn have yet to be fired across news feeds, but you can bet that we’ll be keeping an eye out. Bird is considered by many to be one of animation’s most talented living creators. His animated feature directorial debut, The Iron Giant, is a powerhouse of emotion and artistry, while The Incredibles is often regarded as one of the greatest superhero films in movie history. His next animated feature, 1906, tells the tale of a young man who discovers a series of secrets and lies that left San Francisco highly vulnerable to the fires that engulfed it in the aftermath of the historical 1906 earthquake. Wow! That sounds like a hell of a subject for animation, and I can’t wait to check it out.
Are you excited to hear that Brad Bird will be at the helm of Skydance Animation’s Ray Gunn? Let us know in the comments section below.