Every James Gunn Movie Ranked (Including Superman)

James Gunn has had quite the journey when it comes to his Hollywood career. From his early days as a writer working with Troma Entertainment to his mainstream screenwriting breakthrough with his two live-action “Scooby-Doo” films and “Dawn of the Dead,” Gunn has showcased a love for colorful characters amidst the backdrop of niche genres. However, he would make his directorial debut with his horror comedy, “Slither” in 2006, followed by his sophomore outing, “Super” in 2010.

However, most audiences were introduced to James Gunn’s sensibilities with “Guardians of the Galaxy” in 2014. Although Marvel Studios is often criticized for its movies following a distinct formula, Gunn stood out as one of the few filmmakers whose signature style remained prominent amidst the hit-making factory that the Marvel Cinematic Universe was at its prime. The fact that he turned D-list Marvel characters like the Guardians into A-listers within the general public cannot be stressed enough.

It is wild to think that a chronically online controversy that nearly ended James Gunn’s career inadvertently led to his position as the co-CEO of DC Studios. To think, if it were not for a politically motivated smear campaign against the filmmaker, the future of the DCU would not look as bright, and honestly, a true threat to Marvel Studios’ seat on the throne for pop cultural dominance. With that in mind, it is worth looking back at Gunn’s directorial efforts, ranked from best to worst, because if nothing else, all of his films are a fantastic showcase of sticking to your own, well, guns.

James Gunn’s sophomore effort is also his first superhero film. Well, at its core, it is mainly an indie dark comedy that is about superheroes, rather than the big-budget scale he would be granted at both Marvel Studios and DC Studios. Instead of Star-Lord or Superman, we get the Crimson Bolt, portrayed by a revelatory Rainn Wilson in one of his best performances. The ordinary Frank Darbo takes hyperviolent measures as the Crimson Bolt to rescue his wife, Sarah Helgeland (Liv Tyler), from drug dealer Jacques (Kevin Bacon). Along the way, he unwittingly recruits Libby (Elliot Page), an unstable comic book store employee who becomes Crimson Bolt’s sidekick, Boltie.

“Super” is a product of its time, showcasing some of the rougher, edgier elements that Gunn’s sense of humor reflected (and in some ways, caused his initial firing from Disney). Some of its darker comedic elements still work, thanks to moments of sharp writing poking fun at the comic book movie genre. The film also features an unforgettable animated opening credits sequence, which, in retrospect, feels like the prototype for what would become the “Peacemaker” opening credits. However, problematic elements cloud the film, including a scene in which Libby sexually assaults Frank, despite his rejection of her advances. To the film’s credit, its cast is primarily comprised of problematic characters, so Gunn’s intent may not be to endorse their actions, but rather explore them as people, warts and all. Thankfully, both Wilson and Page carry the film with both charm and pathos, leading to one of the most emotionally resonant and subversive conclusions of any superhero film this century.

For his directorial debut, James Gunn leaned into the horror genre mixed with his twisted sense of humor in the charming “Slither.” Set in a small town in South Carolina, a parasitic alien organism infects a small town, turning its citizens into zombies. Leaning into his background at Troma Entertainment, Gunn’s creative vision is on full display, with grotesque, practical effects and subversive comedy bringing this surprisingly heartfelt story to life.

Gunn’s first film boasts a memorable cast, including frequent collaborators Nathan Fillion, Gregg Henry, and Michael Rooker, as well as Elizabeth Banks and Tania Saulnier. With such an entertaining directorial debut, Gunn showcases his unique creative voice strongly on a minuscule budget, compared to the tentpole blockbusters that he would become famous for. It is refreshing to have such a strong creative force behind some of Hollywood’s biggest films, because his sensibilities, showcased in his two indie genre films, are still present (and in some cases, improved upon) in the blockbusters that would turn him into a household name.

Following the groundbreaking success of the first “Guardians of the Galaxy,” James Gunn went further in his punk rock approach to arguably the MCU’s most colorful characters by having their sequel essentially be a hangout movie. Although the titular team embarks on an action-packed journey in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” much of the film’s events are set on Ego’s Planet, allowing further exploration into the characters’ respective growth.

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” stands out compared to most MCU sequels, thanks to its refreshingly standalone focus on the team, rather than the broader expansion of the universe tie-ins. Naturally, Peter Quill/Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) is given the greatest challenge of his life when confronting his father, Ego (Kurt Russell), while the rest of the team each deal with their own insecurities as a result of their trauma. Surprisingly, the standout characters of this sequel aren’t the primary members established in “Vol. 1,” but rather secondary characters like Nebula (Karen Gillan) and Yondu (Michael Rooker), whose arcs are richer and further inform the motivations of the rest of the team. Not to mention, Baby Groot!

It is crazy to think that there is a world where another director took over “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” instead of James Gunn. When watching the film, it is clear that no other filmmaker could have told a more emotionally satisfying conclusion for the beloved A-holes he introduced to audiences in 2014. Gunn’s clear passion for the characters, specifically Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper), had never been stronger than it was here, and that shared passion amongst the cast and crew, paired with the several years delaying the film, led to one of the few truly great films in the MCU in the polarizing era after “Avengers: Endgame.”

Gunn is one of the few filmmakers who can say that he completed a satisfying blockbuster trilogy of films. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” gives the team a perfect sendoff, giving each character their moments to shine and a sense of finality that, in some ways, serves as a true epilogue to the Infinity Saga. The film serves as a cathartic victory lap of roughly a decade of hard work at the MCU, leading to his bright, optimistic future at the DCU.

There is arguably no comic book film this decade that has had more pressure on it than “Superman.” After over a dozen years of ups and downs for the now-defunct DC Extended Universe, James Gunn had the unenviable task of not just rebooting the franchise with a clean slate but also reintroducing the Man of Steel to an audience that had been inundated with Evil Superman clones and a broad misrepresentation of the character. Superman is often dismissed as a boring character amongst his critics, and recent film adaptations failed to inspire audiences.

Luckily, Gunn’s remarkable track record in bringing crowd-pleasing comic book movies to life paid off with “Superman.” One of Gunn’s greatest strengths is in his casting decisions, and with “Superman,” virtually every major character in the film is *perfectly* cast. David Corenswet shines as the titular hero, painting his vulnerabilities and unflappable kindness that the character has been missing for decades on the big screen beautifully. Rachel Brosnahan is a firecracker as Lois Lane, whose chemistry with Corenswet brings the long-absent romantic spark that many recent comic book films have lacked. However, Nicholas Hoult might stand above the rest with his tour de force portrayal of Lex Luthor, whose seething hatred and immeasurable envy make his performance the definitive live-action version of Superman’s arch nemesis to date.

While James Gunn’s first two films showcased his genre sensibilities on a smaller scale, “Guardians of the Galaxy” was his first true introduction to mainstream audiences. For a filmmaker whose sensibilities may seem too eccentric for outsiders, the world fell in love with Gunn’s fresh approach to the galactic misfits of the MCU. Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldańa), Drax (Dave Bautista), Groot (Vin Diesel), and Rocket (Bradley Cooper) were the most unique, oddball characters the MCU had seen up to that point, and if put in the wrong hands, could have easily been turned into a laughing stock. However, Gunn’s dynamic script he co-wrote with Nicole Perlman, turns the team into undoubtedly the funniest characters of the MCU. However, as funny as the team can get, their humor never undercuts the raw, authentic emotions on display when the stakes start to get real.

“Guardians of the Galaxy” not only brought James Gunn to greener pastures but arguably gave Pratt and Bautista their prolific film careers. The one-two punch of “Guardians” and “Jurassic World” immediately turned Pratt into one of Hollywood’s biggest action stars, while Bautista has parlayed his breakthrough as Drax into becoming perhaps the best wrestler-turned-actor working today, thanks to remarkable turns in films like “Blade Runner 2049” and “Knock at the Cabin” among others. The film truly captured lightning in a bottle for the MCU, with Gunn’s storytelling sensibilities, committed performances by the cast, and, of course, its earworm of a soundtrack that has helped influence the sonic identity of the director’s career in the following years.

A few months after Disney fired James Gunn from directing “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” Warner Bros. hired him to write a script for a sequel to the studio’s critically reviled “Suicide Squad.” David Ayer’s 2016 film (which he has since disowned) was often criticized for being a low-rent version of what Gunn’s first “Guardians” film succeeded at. Given that at the time, Warner Bros. was eager for another critical success for DC Films, who better to capture that same “Guardians” sensibility than the man who directed “Guardians?”

With “The Suicide Squad,” we have what was, at the time, the culmination of Gunn’s creative vision as a filmmaker. With this standalone sequel, Gunn is given full creative control, with perhaps the most audacious, hyperviolent, and ridiculous comic book film of the century so far, and it could not be more delightful (you can read /Film’s “The Suicide Squad” review here). This film is a highlight of all of Gunn’s strengths and sensibilities on the largest scale possible: A blank canvas painted with blood and guts, featuring his most stacked cast to date. 

Idris Elba gives one of his best roles to date as Bloodsport, while John Cena stands out as the film’s breakout character, Peacemaker. Margot Robbie is as delightful as ever as Harley Quinn, while David Dastmalchian’s Polka-Dot Man, Daniela Melchior’s Ratcatcher 2, and Sylvester Stallone’s King Shark are just as memorable. Joel Kinnaman is also given the franchise glow-up of the century, with his performance and portrayal as Rick Flag as one of the film’s greatest showcases of being a film that stands out as a prime example of correcting every mistake that your predecessor made, and living up to the full potential of what was initially promised.