Binge Watch: James Gunn

This Friday Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 opens in theaters. It figures to be one of the biggest films of the summer, and another big release for writer/director James Gunn. Gunn is also about to re-boot the DC Universe. So, in honor of the release, this week’s Binge Watch looks at Gunn’s films that aren’t part of the Guardians world.

Dawn of the Dead (2004)
About: The irony here is Gunn penned the screenplay for this film, an off shoot of the famous George A. Romero series, and it was directed by Zack Snyder. Now, Gunn is taking the DC creative reigns from Snyder. This film, however, was young in both their careers. It’s a solid zombie film with some good action and humor.

Slither (2006)
About: This was Gunn’s first big film as a writer and director. It’s a horror comedy about aliens that land in a small town and begin taking over the population. Nathan Fillion is the lead, the local cop trying to stop it. The cast includes Elizabeth Banks and Michael Rooker, among others. I liked the creativity here and some of the humor.

Super (2010)
About: Before he got into the Marvel and DC empire, Gunn tried his hand at a superhero film of a different style. Rainn Wilson is the lead here as an ordinary joe who tries to become something more. It’s a different kind of film and different kind of world that has its fans even more than a decade later.

The Suicide Squad (2021)
About: After being a huge part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Gunn came over to DC. This was probably a big piece of what landed him his new role. This is a star-studded film that has plenty of humor and a lot of over-the-top violence and gore. I didn’t love it, but I appreciate the style.

Peacemaker (2022)
About: Sure, this is a TV series. But it’s a continuation of the style and characters from his Suicide Squad film. Without a doubt this show had one of the best opening title sequences I’ve ever seen. It’s a testament to his style and brand of action comedy, a style that figures to continue.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.