Brad Bird
Known for
Brad Bird is an American director born in Kalispell, Montana, celebrated for animated and live-action films combining genuine emotional depth with kinetic visual storytelling. The Iron Giant, an early feature examining a boy's friendship with a colossal weapon capable of choosing peace, became a beloved cult classic for its sincerity and visual craft despite modest initial box office. The Incredibles, following a family of retired superheroes forced back into action, showed his gift for blending genuine family drama with dynamic action choreography at Pixar, an approach he extended with Ratatouille, examining artistic ambition through a rat aspiring to become a Parisian chef. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol demonstrated his skill translating animation's precise visual choreography into large-scale live-action action filmmaking. Bird's consistent combination of genuine emotional stakes with meticulously choreographed action has made him one of the most significant contemporary animation directors.
Brad Bird
14 Directed
3 Series
Brad Bird is an American director born in Kalispell, Montana, celebrated for animated and live-action films combining genuine emotional depth with kinetic visual storytelling. The Iron Giant, an early feature examining a boy's friendship with a colossal weapon capable of choosing peace, became a beloved cult classic for its sincerity and visual craft despite modest initial box office. The Incredibles, following a family of retired superheroes forced back into action, showed his gift for blending genuine family drama with dynamic action choreography at Pixar, an approach he extended with Ratatouille, examining artistic ambition through a rat aspiring to become a Parisian chef. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol demonstrated his skill translating animation's precise visual choreography into large-scale live-action action filmmaking. Bird's consistent combination of genuine emotional stakes with meticulously choreographed action has made him one of the most significant contemporary animation directors.
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Auntie Edna
Full Filmography
Incredibles 3
Writer
2028
Film
Ray Gunn
Director
2026
Film
Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical
Writer
2021
Film
Incredibles 2
Director
2018
Film
Tomorrowland
Director
2015
Film
Tomorrowland: The Origins of Plus Ultra
Director
2015
Film
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol
Director
2011
Film
Ratatouille
Director
2007
Film
Jack-Jack Attack
Director
2005
Film
Photos
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Brad Bird and where are they from?
Brad Bird is 68 years old, born on September 24, 1957 in Kalispell, Montana, USA.
What are the most famous roles of Brad Bird?
Brad Bird is best known for directing The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Incredibles 2.
How many movies has Brad Bird directed?
Over a 47-year career (since 1979), Brad Bird has directed or written 14 films and worked on 3 TV shows.
What was Brad Bird's first movie?
The career of Brad Bird began with Tortoise and the Hare (1979).
What is Brad Bird's most recent movie or series?
Brad Bird's most recent release is Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical, which premiered on January 1, 2021.
What TV shows has Brad Bird created or directed?
On television, Brad Bird has appeared in The Simpsons, Amazing Stories, Family Dog.
Does Brad Bird have any upcoming projects?
Yes, Brad Bird's upcoming work includes: Ray Gunn (2026), Incredibles 3 (2028).
Brad Bird
1957-09-24 · Kalispell, Montana, USA
Philip Bradley Bird (born September 24, 1957) is an American filmmaker, animator, and voice actor. He has had a career spanning over four decades in both live-action and animation.
Bird was born in Montana and grew up in Oregon. He developed an interest in the art of animation early on, and completed his first short subject by age 14. Bird sent the film to Walt Disney Productions, leading to an apprenticeship from the studio's Nine Old Men. He attended the California Institute of the Arts in the late 1970s, and worked for Disney shortly thereafter.
In the 1980s, Bird worked in film development with various studios. He co-wrote Batteries Not Included (1987), and developed two episodes of Amazing Stories for Steven Spielberg, including its spin-off (based on a segment written by Bird for the show), the widely panned animated sitcom Family Dog. Afterwards, Bird joined the animated sitcom The Simpsons as creative consultant for eight seasons. He directed the animated film The Iron Giant (1999); though acclaimed, it was a box-office bomb.
Bird moved to Pixar where he wrote and directed two successful animated films, The Incredibles (2004) and Ratatouille (2007). They earned Bird two Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature wins and Best Original Screenplay nominations. He transitioned to live-action filmmaking with similarly successful Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011), he then directed Disney's Tomorrowland (2015). He returned to Pixar to develop Incredibles 2 (2018), which became the second-highest-grossing animated film of all time during its theatrical run, and earned him another nomination for the Academy Award. In 2026, he is set to partner with Skydance Animation to direct Ray Gunn, a sci-fi noir film he’s wanted to make for over thirty years.
Bird has a reputation for supervising his projects to a high degree of detail. He advocates for creative freedom and the possibilities of animation, and has criticized its stereotype as children's entertainment, or classification as a genre, rather than an art.Brad Bird, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia