After directing such animated marvels as The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and The Incredibles 2, you’d think it would be smooth sailing anytime Brad Bird wants to release one of his films in theaters. However, according to The Wrap, Bird’s latest animated feature, Ray Gunn, is becoming a point of contention for Netflix and Paramount Skydance.
What’s the deal with Ray Gunn?
At the moment, Ray Gunn will premiere on Netflix, passing up the chance to release the films in theaters and in IMAX, where animated films tend to gobble up a sizeable portion of the box office. Recently, Netflix announced they’re no longer interested in working with directors who want a theatrical release, save for Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Narnia film, Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, and David Fincher’s untitled Once Upon a Time in Hollywood sequel. Recently, Netflix moved Gerwig’s Narnia movie to February of next year, making room for a Thanksgiving IMAX release. Instead of giving Ray Gunn the spot, the studio is giving Fincher’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood sequel the platform.
Is Netflix fumbling the bag on animation again?
According to sources, Fincher was not looking to release his Once sequel in this manner, begging the question: Why not give that spot to Bird’s Ray Gunn, a film that has people advocating for a theatrical release? Make it make sense! Well, if you look at the strings on the murder board, you’ll see that Ray Gunn is a Skydance Animation production. Skydance is now part of Paramount, which, as you know, recently beat Netflix to the punch in a war for Warner Bros. The Wrap says the sway wasn’t there to get Ray Gunn onto IMAX screens, but why? If you want an example of Netflix whiffing on the theatrical market, look no further than K-Pop Demon Hunters, an animated movie that took the world by storm. Yes, K-Pop did get a limited theatrical release, but imagine if it had opened in theaters from the jump. The payday would have been MASSIVE. I’m not saying that Ray Gunn will turn out like K-Pop Demon Hunters, but not giving it the chance to shine in theaters feels like a mistake.
What do you think? Is Brad Bird’s Ray Gunn worthy of a theatrical run? Is Netflix fumbling the bag by ignoring this opportunity? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
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