Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
San Diego, Convention center, Hall H, July 23 2026
Brad Bird delivered one of the most memorable presentations of San Diego Comic-Con 2026 with his Hall H panel, My Cinematic Journey. The two-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker looked back on a remarkable career that spans The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, while also offering exciting new details about his long-awaited animated feature, Ray Gunn. Moderated by Collider Editor-in-Chief Steven Weintraub, the discussion became much more than a retrospective, giving fans a rare look inside Bird's creative philosophy and the projects that will shape the next chapter of his career.
Throughout the conversation, Bird repeatedly emphasized a lesson he learned from legendary Disney animator Milt Kahl during his early years at Disney: always "explore the possibilities." That simple piece of advice has guided every film he has directed, encouraging him to push stories beyond the obvious and search for stronger emotional and creative solutions. Whether working in traditional animation, CGI, or live action, Bird explained that story always comes first.
Looking back on his career, Bird reflected on The Iron Giant, acknowledging that its disappointing box office performance was largely the result of poor marketing rather than audience rejection. Over time, television broadcasts and home video transformed the film into one of animation's most beloved classics. He also shared the surprising origin of Syndrome, the unforgettable villain from The Incredibles, revealing that the character emerged during an early story exercise before evolving into the emotional centerpiece of the movie. Bird praised Pixar's famous Braintrust, explaining that constructive criticism played a vital role in strengthening both The Incredibles and Ratatouille.
Discussing Ratatouille, Bird revealed that he extensively rewrote the film after taking over the project. He explained how he convinced Pixar to cast Patton Oswalt as Remy and insisted that Peter O'Toole was the perfect choice to portray Anton Ego. The now-iconic restaurant review delivered by Ego was rewritten countless times before reaching its final form, with longtime collaborator Michael Giacchino already composing music that helped shape the emotional tone of the scene.
The evening's biggest attraction, however, was Ray Gunn, Brad Bird's passion project that has spent decades in development before finally finding a home at Netflix and Skydance Animation. Scheduled to premiere on December 18, the film is described as "Buck Rogers meets The Maltese Falcon," taking place in an alternate 1939 where humans and alien species coexist inside the sprawling Art Deco metropolis of Metropia. Hall H audiences were treated to the exclusive first seven minutes, introducing private detective Raymond Gunn, voiced by Sam Rockwell, alongside his loyal companion Eyera and the mysterious Venus Nova, voiced by Scarlett Johansson.
The footage immediately impressed audiences with its spectacular world-building, richly detailed backgrounds, retro-futuristic design, and dynamic action. Bird explained that because almost the entire story unfolds inside one city, every department was encouraged to imagine a living world extending far beyond the camera frame. Every street, building, and background character was designed to suggest countless untold stories, creating a universe that feels alive even when the audience is focused on the main characters.
One of the biggest surprises came when Academy Award-winning composer Michael Giacchino appeared on stage. Giacchino revealed that he had known about Ray Gunn since the production of The Incredibles more than twenty years ago. Rather than approaching the film as a traditional detective story, he built the score around Raymond Gunn's emotional journey. Bird added that their creative conversations rarely begin with music itself, instead focusing on character, motivation, and storytelling before a single note is written.
Fans were also thrilled to receive an update on The Incredibles 3. Bird officially confirmed that he is co-writing and co-producing the sequel while longtime Pixar filmmaker Peter Sohn will direct. Although Bird refused to reveal any story details, he expressed complete confidence in Sohn's creative vision and assured fans that he remains deeply involved in shaping the film.
The panel also revisited Bird's long-discussed adaptation of 1906, based on James Dalessandro's novel about the San Francisco earthquake. Bird explained that the story eventually became too large for a single feature film and now believes it would work far better as an eight-episode limited series, allowing the historical events and personal stories to receive the attention they deserve.
San Diego, Convention center, Hall H, July 23 2026
Brad Bird delivered one of the most memorable presentations of San Diego Comic-Con 2026 with his Hall H panel, My Cinematic Journey. The two-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker looked back on a remarkable career that spans The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, while also offering exciting new details about his long-awaited animated feature, Ray Gunn. Moderated by Collider Editor-in-Chief Steven Weintraub, the discussion became much more than a retrospective, giving fans a rare look inside Bird's creative philosophy and the projects that will shape the next chapter of his career.
Throughout the conversation, Bird repeatedly emphasized a lesson he learned from legendary Disney animator Milt Kahl during his early years at Disney: always "explore the possibilities." That simple piece of advice has guided every film he has directed, encouraging him to push stories beyond the obvious and search for stronger emotional and creative solutions. Whether working in traditional animation, CGI, or live action, Bird explained that story always comes first.
Looking back on his career, Bird reflected on The Iron Giant, acknowledging that its disappointing box office performance was largely the result of poor marketing rather than audience rejection. Over time, television broadcasts and home video transformed the film into one of animation's most beloved classics. He also shared the surprising origin of Syndrome, the unforgettable villain from The Incredibles, revealing that the character emerged during an early story exercise before evolving into the emotional centerpiece of the movie. Bird praised Pixar's famous Braintrust, explaining that constructive criticism played a vital role in strengthening both The Incredibles and Ratatouille.
Discussing Ratatouille, Bird revealed that he extensively rewrote the film after taking over the project. He explained how he convinced Pixar to cast Patton Oswalt as Remy and insisted that Peter O'Toole was the perfect choice to portray Anton Ego. The now-iconic restaurant review delivered by Ego was rewritten countless times before reaching its final form, with longtime collaborator Michael Giacchino already composing music that helped shape the emotional tone of the scene.
The evening's biggest attraction, however, was Ray Gunn, Brad Bird's passion project that has spent decades in development before finally finding a home at Netflix and Skydance Animation. Scheduled to premiere on December 18, the film is described as "Buck Rogers meets The Maltese Falcon," taking place in an alternate 1939 where humans and alien species coexist inside the sprawling Art Deco metropolis of Metropia. Hall H audiences were treated to the exclusive first seven minutes, introducing private detective Raymond Gunn, voiced by Sam Rockwell, alongside his loyal companion Eyera and the mysterious Venus Nova, voiced by Scarlett Johansson.
The footage immediately impressed audiences with its spectacular world-building, richly detailed backgrounds, retro-futuristic design, and dynamic action. Bird explained that because almost the entire story unfolds inside one city, every department was encouraged to imagine a living world extending far beyond the camera frame. Every street, building, and background character was designed to suggest countless untold stories, creating a universe that feels alive even when the audience is focused on the main characters.
One of the biggest surprises came when Academy Award-winning composer Michael Giacchino appeared on stage. Giacchino revealed that he had known about Ray Gunn since the production of The Incredibles more than twenty years ago. Rather than approaching the film as a traditional detective story, he built the score around Raymond Gunn's emotional journey. Bird added that their creative conversations rarely begin with music itself, instead focusing on character, motivation, and storytelling before a single note is written.
Fans were also thrilled to receive an update on The Incredibles 3. Bird officially confirmed that he is co-writing and co-producing the sequel while longtime Pixar filmmaker Peter Sohn will direct. Although Bird refused to reveal any story details, he expressed complete confidence in Sohn's creative vision and assured fans that he remains deeply involved in shaping the film.
The panel also revisited Bird's long-discussed adaptation of 1906, based on James Dalessandro's novel about the San Francisco earthquake. Bird explained that the story eventually became too large for a single feature film and now believes it would work far better as an eight-episode limited series, allowing the historical events and personal stories to receive the attention they deserve.
