Rumors swirled for weeks but director James Gunn finally admitted on his Facebook page that he is directing one of the upcoming Marvel super hero movies with “Guardians of the Galaxy.” This is great news for Marvel fans as well as exciting news for Gunn’s fans, who have been waiting for his big break since he broke into Hollywood. Here is a look at what you need to know about Gunn and his new Marvel project.
James Gunn is a director who broke his teeth in the notorious Troma Entertainment. The studio that was responsible for movies like “The Toxic Avenger” gave Gunn his first chance to make a super hero movie with “The Specials.” In this film, Gunn created a comedy starring Rob Lowe and Jamie Kennedy that looked at the everyday life of super heroes.
After impressing critics by writing and co-directing Troma’s best movie, “Tromeo and Juliet,” Gunn got his break in Hollywood. In a very strange move, his first effort was writing the live-action “Scooby-Doo” movie and its sequel. He also penned the script for the “Dawn of the Dead” remake before directing his first Hollywood film, “Slither.”
Gunn showed a brilliant eye for comedy and horror with “Slither,” a wonderful monster movie starring Nathan Fillion. Following this, Gunn found the road in Hollywood tough. Gunn, never one to give up, moved on to the Internet, where he created the very funny “PG Porn” and an interesting short film called “Humanzee!”
“Super”
After this, Gunn got another chance for a second super hero movie, this one called “Super.” Rainn Wilson (“The Office”) stars as a normal man who chooses to become a super hero when his wife leaves him for a mobster. Ellen Page (“Juno”) joins him as his sidekick in a dark comedy that remains thematically similar to “Kick-Ass,” but is a much darker look at the subject matter and shows a more mature Gunn at the helm.
“Guardians of the Galaxy”
“Guardians of the Galaxy” is nothing like either of Gunn’s super hero movie attempts. This is a space opera with a team of intergalactic protectors of the galaxy, although the log line makes it sound like it takes place mostly on earth. However, this is what Gunn has been working towards, a chance to make a real-budget super hero movie, and Marvel is giving him that chance. Fans of Marvel Comics may not know what hit them when all is said and done.
