Brad Bird to Direct Noir Thriller for Netflix; Laika Faces Financial Scrutiny

Brad Bird, known for work on films like The Incredibles, is directing 'Ray Gunn,' a stylish noir detective thriller. The film, which stars Sam Rockwell and Scarlett Johansson, is scheduled to hit Netflix on December 18 and will be eligible for awards consideration. Concurrently, the independent stop-motion studio Laika has received nominations for five of its films, including Coraline and Missing Link, and is noted for keeping the animation industry afloat.

Industry insiders suggest that Laika is operating under significant financial strain, with reports indicating the studio is losing money while employing many people. This situation highlights the challenges facing independent animation studios in the current market.