Netflix’s Robust Annecy Lineup Includes Brad Bird’s ‘Ray Gunn,’ ‘Ghostbusters’ and ‘Blue Eye Samurai’ Season 2

Netflix Animation is headed back to the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. And they’re bringing the big guns.

Among the projects the streaming giant will be previewing at the June festival include Brad Bird’s sci-fi detective story “Ray Gunn” (with Aardman legend Peter Lord moderating a talk with Bird), Taiki Waititi in Roald Dahl’s “Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory,” the upcoming fairy tale “Steps,” Ricky Gervais’ sitcom “Stray Cats” and an upcoming “Ghostbusters” series produced by franchise stewards Jason Reitman, Gil Kenan and Dan Aykroyd.

Additionally, the company will also highlight upcoming anime fare, including “Bass X Machina,” “Sparks of Tomorrow,” the upcoming “The One Piece” anime series and the long-awaited second season of “Blue Eye Samurai.” There will also be an outdoor screening of Netflix and Sony’s smash “KPop Demon Hunters,” which will undoubtedly be one of the hottest events of the festival this year.

A full rundown of their offerings includes a “Steps” work-in-progress session at Salle Pierre Lamy on Tuesday, June 23, with directors Alyce Tzue and John Ripa, art director Dan Casey and head of character animation Jason Figliozzi, who “will share their creative insights on the re-imagining of the classic Cinderella tale, told from the perspective of one of the so-called ‘evil’ step-sisters.”

That Tuesday, Netflix will host a dedicated Anime Studio Focus titled “Netflix Anime: Bold Stories, Boundless Worlds” at la Salle de la Volière. The streamer boasts that with “more than 150 million Netflix members around the world choosing to watch” anime, this session is “set to be a must-see showcase of the very best of anime for every taste and mood, whether you’re a hard-core fan, casual viewer or a beginner to the medium.” This will include an in-depth look at the upcoming slate led by “The One Piece,” “Sparks of Tomorrow” and “The Ribbon Hero,” as well as anime-inspired series “Blue Eye Samurai’s” Season 2 and “Bass X Machina.”

The other big presentation, Next on Netflix Animation, includes the subtitle From “Ghostbusters” to Brad Bird’s “Ray Gunn,” which will be held on Wednesday, June 24. Executive producers Reitman, Gl Kenan and showrunners/executive producers Ben Hibon and Elliott Kalan will unveil a world exclusive preview of next year’s “Ghostbusters” series produced in partnership with Sony Pictures Animation.

Bird will also “take to the stage and provide a very personal insight into his animated feature” “Ray Gunn.” This session will include the “One Piece” anime series and the “Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory” animated film.

A masterclass with multi-award-winning comedy genius Ricky Gervais at Théâtre Bonlieu follows on Thursday, June 25. He serves as creator and director on his upcoming adult comedy series “Alley Cats” and will participate in a moderated conversation. Audiences will also get an early look at two episodes ahead of its debut on Netflix on Friday, August 7.

“The Ribbon Hero,” the feature film debut from animator Yuki Igarashi, will have its world premiere as part of the festival’s Annecy Presents programming.

To celebrate the first anniversary since “KPop Demon Hunters” became a global and cultural phenomenon, there will be an outdoor sing-along screening on Wednesday, June 24, by Lake Annecy.

And, finally, “Sparks of Tomorrow” (Episode 1), “Long Story Short” (Episode – “Shira Can’t Cook”) and “Love, Death + Robots” (Episode – “How Zeke Got Religion”) will compete in Annecy’s Official TV Films Competition. Everything’s coming up Netflix.

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