From writing, directing, and producing low-budget satire films to working for some of the biggest studios in Hollywood, James Gunn’s film career has been an impressive one. Gunn started out in 1996, when he served as associate director and writer for the dark comedy, Tromeo and Juliet. By the 2000s, he had begun to dabble in the superhero comedy genre with The Specials and Super. Meanwhile, his directorial debut feature film, Slither, premiered in 2006 and would gain the status of a cult film.
However, Gunn’s recognition truly skyrocketed when he directed Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. He brought a ragtag team of misfits together in a galactic mission to the backdrop of an epic 60s and 70s soundtrack, and this quickly won the respect of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). He followed up with the (nearly equally) successful sequel, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 in 2017.
Then, in 2018, some crude tweets of his from 2008 resurfaced. In the tweets, Gunn made jokes about rape, pedophilia, and the Holocaust. He apologized, but as a result, Gunn was temporarily fired from Marvel, a decision that his Guardians of the Galaxy cast members criticized. After this, he still worked though, directing The Suicide Squad—which makes him the only director to head both an MCU and DCEU film. Meanwhile, he was also later reinstated by Marvel and is in the process of directing Guardians of the Galaxy 3.
Regardless of how you feel about whether or not Gunn should have been fired (or reinstated), he has definitely made some really great movies in his prolific career. And also some that are..not as great. Here are all the films Gunn has written/directed, ranked from worst to best.
11. Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed
Gunn wrote the script for Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed—which released in 2004—as the sequel to Scooby-Doo (2002). The film follows Scooby-Doo and his gang, Shaggy (Matthew Lillard), Velma (Linda Cardellini), Fred (Freddie Prinze Jr.), and Daphne (Sarah Michelle Gellar), as they face off with monsters invading their town. Unfortunately, Scooby-Doo 2 is one of those sequels that fails to improve upon the original film.
While the live-action Scooby-Doo films were meant to be rather campy, family-friendly entertainment, Scooby-Doo 2 was a little too much so. The film is a level of silly that only a very young child would find appealing. For everyone else, it’s a film that lacks a real plot and offers only a smattering of laughs with poorly executed action sequences. Scooby-Doo 2 received a Razzie Award for being the Worst Remake/Sequel of 2004. Additionally, it resulted in a planned 3rd Scooby-Do film, which would’ve been directed and written by Gunn, to be canceled.
10. Super
Super is a black comedy superhero film written and directed by Gunn. The film, starring Rainn Wilson, Elliot Page, Liv Tyler, Kevin Bacon, and Nathan Fillion, was released in 2010. Super follows Frank Darbo (Wilson), a short-order cook with no superpowers or special abilities who, nonetheless, believes God has chosen him to be a superhero. Hence, he becomes The Crimson Bolt and sets out to save his wife, Sarah (Tyler), from a drug dealer.
With its unique premise, humor, and talented cast, Super had a lot of potential to be a brilliant film. It is a daring and audacious parody of the superhero genre, however, Super misses its mark. For one, the premise of the film is largely undermined by very gruesome, gory, and unnecessary violence. Additionally, the humor is inconsistent and mixed with a half-developed attempt to garner sympathy for the lead characters’ misery. Super is entertaining, whimsical, and offered impressive performances from Page, Wilson, and Tyler, however, it can’t hold a consistent tone and ends up being more dark than comedic.
9. Scooby-Doo (2002)
Scooby-Doo, written by Gunn, faired a bit better than Scooby-Doo 2, however, that’s not exactly saying much. The film sees Mystery, Inc shut down and Shaggy and his gang of crime-solvers disbanded. However, two years later, the gang is reunited when they are summoned to solve a mystery on Spooky Island.
Again, Scooby-Doo is one of those films that is meant to be some light-hearted fun for the family. Hence, those who don’t take it too seriously might enjoy its fun, nostalgic take on the Scooby-Doo cartoons of their childhood. However, those looking for an adventurous comedy, and not taken with nostalgia, won’t be able to ignore the film’s unconvincing animation, cheesy jokes, and dull plot.
8. The Specials
The Specials was Gunn’s first attempt at a dark comedy superhero film. Gunn both wrote and starred in The Specials, which premiered in 2000 and was directed by Craig Mazin. The Specials boasted an impressive cast including, Thomas Haden Church, Rob Lowe, Jamie Kennedy, Sean Gunn, and Judy Greer. The film follows a superhero team called, The Specials, who operate like a dysfunctional family, and have failed to gain popularity in the superhero world. When the team is disbanded, we see what a team of superheroes does on their day off.
The Specials is witty, entertaining, and ironic—as it’s a superhero film with virtually no action. It’s another bold superhero parody that explores how mediocre superheroes would function in real-life. However, when held up against other film spoofs of lesser superheroes, such as Mystery Men, the flaws are pretty obvious in The Specials. Its low-budget, low-key tone doesn’t allow for any actual superhero action or development, and it results in a film that drags on long after its satire has run its course. The idea of The Specials is funny, but the jokes throughout the course of the film rarely are.
7. The Belko Experiment
The Belko Experiment is a horror thriller film, written and produced by Gunn and released in 2016. The film was directed by Greg McLean and stars John Gallagher Jr., Tony Goldwyn, Michael Rooker, Adria Arjona, and John C. McGinley. The film follows a group of 80 Americans who are working abroad for a company called Belko Industries. One day, the group is locked into the work building and directed to each kill two co-workers. If they don’t, double the number of people will be killed.
The Belko Experiment‘s plot is a familiar “kill or be killed” scenario that has played out in many stories before it, such as The Hunger Games. However, where The Belko Experiment differs is that there really aren’t any deeper themes explored in the story. It’s simply an all-out gory, fight to the death film. While it’s certainly dark, gory, humorous, and entertaining, it isn’t much more. The film appeals to those looking for a purely entertaining, horror-filled flick, but it will leave others wanting a deeper exploration of the concepts of brain-washing and moral dilemmas that the film only brushed on.
6. Tromeo and Juliet
Tromeo and Juliet is probably the most off-the-wall Gunn film, but somehow it works. In fact, Tromeo and Juliet is where Gunn got his start, both penning the film and serving as associate director. Tromeo and Juliet premiered in 1997 and is basically a Tromafied adaption of Romeo and Juliet. The film was produced by Troma Entertainment, which is known for producing films that are highly sexual and violent. The film is set in modern-day Manhattan and follows Tromeo Que (Will Keenan), a filmmaker who falls in love with Juliet Capulet (Jane Jensen), the daughter of his former partner.
Now, Tromeo and Juliet is definitely not for everyone. The film is intentionally graphic and dark, utilizing shock value and black humor to intrigue fans. Granted, the acting and plot aren’t great, but the film manages to be surprisingly hilarious. It’s a unique, transgressive take on a familiar story, and it’s crude, crass, and funny. While some will no doubt be appalled by Tromeo and Juliet, those who like this particular brand of darker humor will find it enjoyable.
5. Dawn of the Dead
Dawn of the Dead is a 2004 horror film directed by Zack Snyder and written by Gunn. The film is a remake of George Romero’s 1978 film Dawn of the Dead and stars Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Jake Weber, Ty Burrell, and Mekhi Phifer. Like the original, it follows a group of zombie apocalypse survivors, who seek refuge in a shopping mall and band together to fight the zombies.
Dawn of the Dead is actually a pretty rare phenomenon—it’s a remake of a classic horror film that actually succeeds and can stand on its own. Dawn of the Dead amplifies Romero’s work in a horror film that is a terrifying and thrilling examination of the societal impact a zombie apocalypse would have. Hence, Dawn of the Dead is a refreshing, revved-up reimagining of a classic horror film that holds up very well in the horror genre.
4. Slither
Slither is one of those films that bombed at the box office but was later rediscovered and passionately loved by fans. Slither premiered in 2006 and is a black comedy horror film both written and directed by Gunn. The film stars Nathan Fillion, Elizabeth Banks, Tania Saulnier, Gregg Henry, and Michael Rooker. Slither follows a small town in South Carolina that is invaded by an extraterrestrial parasite. When infected, the parasite turns humans into bloated, grotesque, tentacled beings.
Slither is another one of those films that isn’t for everyone, however, for those who can stomach it, it’s a real treat. The film is horrifying, witty, daring, and bizarre, but manages to effectively utilize gross-out horror and creepiness. With its mixture of shock value, horror, and alien twists, it is no wonder that the film has developed its own passionate cult following—appealing to fans of low-budget, retro horror films.
3. Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is a sequel that didn’t quite surpass the original film, but it sure came pretty darn close to doing so. The film was released in 2017, and marked the second MCU film written and directed by Gunn. Guardians of the Galaxy 2 stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, and Kurt Russell. The sequel follows the Guardians as they explore more of Peter Quill’s (Pratt) history when they meet his real father, a Celestial named Ego (Russell).
Guardians of the Galaxy 2 had all of the elements that made its predecessor so lovable. It is funny, clever, witty, heartfelt, and boasts a top-notch soundtrack. It’s a superhero film that finds that rare balance between humor, action, story, and emotional punches. At the same time, while it boasts all the characteristics of Guardians of the Galaxy, it just didn’t quite match the magic of the first film. It’s a tad overstuffed with characters and plot, slow at times, and the humor doesn’t always work. However, as far as sequels go, it’s pretty successful and very fun.
2. The Suicide Squad
The Suicide Squad was quite a dangerous gamble. After all, Suicide Squad (2016) failed miserably and now, it was being re-launched by a director who had just been fired by the MCU. After Gunn was dismissed by Disney, Warner Bros. acted fast to recruit Gunn to direct any DCEU story he wanted to. He chose The Suicide Squad, which premiered in 2021 and starred Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, John Cena, Joel Kinnaman, and Sylvester Stallone. The film follows a group of convicts who are recruited to a special task force called the Suicide Squad where they are tasked with putting an end to the Starro project.
The Suicide Squad does justice to the comic book version of the Suicide Squad we all love. Furthermore, The Suicide Squad is a bloody, bold, and daring take on a DCEU film. Gunn insisted on the R-rating to ensure that he could create a real “war film” that was in line with the comic books’ violence. What he produced was a thrilling, unrestricted, and delightful adventure focused on a group of convicts turned anti-heroes. Performances were stellar all across the board, particularly Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn. While the film does feel lengthy and the violence is a bit over the top, The Suicide Squad is surprising, quirky, witty, and thrilling, and illustrates just what a DCEU film can truly be.
1. Guardians of the Galaxy
Guardians of the Galaxy is where all of Gunn’s talents truly intersect. His penchant for humor, his love of anti-heroes, his sympathy for the underdogs, and his boldness—all mixed together to produce his best film yet. Guardians of the Galaxy was Gunn’s first foray into the MCU and he both directed and wrote it. The film follows a ragtag group of misfits whose fight for a magical artifact turns into a mission to save Xandar.
Guardians of the Galaxy is a perfect balance of so many things—the film is witty and quirky, mixing superhero action with dance sequences and emotional gut punches—and is about a group of heroes that are incredibly relatable. It is also a story of dealing with grief, staying connected to one’s roots, and finding friendship and family where you least expect it. It’s funny, it’s daring, it’s quirky, and sometimes bonkers—with a solid soundtrack, a touching story, and a strong premise. Guardians of the Galaxy is a wild, but delightful ride, from start to finish.
(featured image: Ian Gavan/Getty Images for Disney)
