‘Ray Gunn’ and ‘Wildwood’ to World Premiere at BFI London Film Festival

The 70th BFI London Film Festival has unveiled its full lineup, with a number of titles expected to make stops in Venice, Telluride, Toronto and New York. The lineup includes “The Debut,” “Ink,” “Godzilla Minus Zero,” “Behmoth,” “La Bola Negra,” “Wild Horse Nine,” “Paper Tiger,” and Taika Waititi’s “Klara and the Sun” — the latter of which is not a world premiere. So, where is it headed first?

The most high-profile world premieres, however, have to be two highly anticipated animated features: Travis Knight’s “Wildwood” and Brad Bird’s “Ray Gunn.”

Set in Metropia, a sprawling metropolis in an alternate future imagined from the perspective of 1939, “Ray Gunn,” from Netflix, follows private eye Raymond Gunn, voiced by Sam Rockwell, who becomes embroiled in a case involving aliens, murder and a multimedia star named Venus Nova, voiced by Scarlett Johansson.

Meanwhile, “Wildwood,” adapted from the books by Colin Meloy, centers on Prue McKeel, a teenager whose infant brother is kidnapped by a flock of crows. The disappearance leads her into the Impassable Wilderness, an enchanted forest hidden on the outskirts of Portland, Oregon.

Side note: “Wildwood” is now 132 minutes — so much for being the longest English-language animated film. It was originally reported as 140 minutes — did LAIKA decide that was too long? “Ray Gunn” is 119 minutes.

Both films represent ambitious animated swings that have opted to skip the big four festivals — Venice, Telluride, TIFF and NYFF — and instead make their festival bows in London. “Wildwood” hits theaters October 23, while “Ray Gunn” will begin streaming on Netflix on December 18.

The BFI London Film Festival runs from October 7 through October 18. For the full lineup of films, click here.