James Gunn
is without a doubt one of the most famous current film directors in Hollywood, especially in the blockbuster realm. In the last few years, his superb and ingenious work with Guardians of the Galaxy confirmed his talent as a filmmaker as well as his flair for the superhero genre. Many of his fans are inevitably looking forward to July, when they will finally be able to see Gunn’s latest movie, Superman.

Nevertheless, before dedicating himself to a career as a film director, Gunn started in the mid-1990s as a no less savvy screenwriter. The nowadays recognized artist of the superhero genre wrote cults like Scooby-Doo and the Dawn of The ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, as well as some innovative TV shows. As a consequence, it is fair to remind fans that there are many unexplored gems that they might not know were written by James Gunn.

10

Tromeo And Juliet (1996)

Directed By Lloyd Kaufman

James Gunn’s screenwriting debut, Tromeo and Juliet, premiered in 1996 as an independent black comedy, directed by Lloyd Kaufman, who also co-wrote the play. The first draft of the film was completed in 1992, but Gunn was later brought on board and helped rewrite the script (via Far Out). The final movie is a loose and shockingly more controversial adaptation of William Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet, with an unexpected ending. Gunn also served as ᴀssociate director for the film.

The New York Times stated the film was “to Hollywood B-movies what Mad Magazine is to comic books.” Tromeo and Juliet obtained a middling score of 6.0 on IMDb, hinting at Gunn’s early potential as a writer. Regardless of the movie’s success and mixed critical reception, Tromeo and Juliet is what introduced the future Marvel director to the cinema and, for this reason only, deserves credit.

9

The Tromaville Café (1997-2000)

Created By James Gunn & Lloyd Kaufman

Broadcasted by the BBC from 1997 to 2000, The Tromaville Café was a TV program that also featured Lloyd Kaufman as well as other actors like Debbie Rochon and Joe Fleishacker portraying the most iconic fictional and not figures of the Troma Entertainment films and TV shows, from The Toxic Avenger to the Sgt. Kabukiman. The show’s trademarks were its cheap quality and vulgar humor, laying the groundwork for Gunn’s later comedy expertise.

Perhaps because he did not make any appearance as an actor and at the time was at the beginning of his career, most people might not know that James Gunn was one of the brilliant minds behind the TV show. Gunn was involved with the project as a director as well as a screenwriter. Once again, we have to be grateful to the Troma company for professionally raising the beloved film director.

8

The Specials (2000)

Directed By Craig Mazin

Gunn’s affinities with the funny superhero genre were evident already at the start of his professional path. In 2000, he wrote The Specials, a superhero comedy film that is a unique addition to the category. The movie, in fact, is uncharacteristically almost devoid of action scenes, which is rather unusual for the genre. However, the point of The Specials is to show a group of superheroes on their day off.

The brilliance of the movie lies also in the originality of the idea. The bizarre, unexplored plot and funny one-liners deserve praise, showing Gunn’s incredible ability to not only effortlessly delve into the superhero genre but also do it with the creativity and satirical eye that the public would later enjoy in Guardians of the Galaxy. Despite some mixed to unfavorable reviews, the film’s genius is undeniable.

7

Thirteen Ghosts (2001)

Directed By Steve Beck

A supernatural horror from Steve Beck, Thirteen Ghosts is the remake of the 1960 film of the same name. The story follows a man, Arthur, as he moves with his children, Kathy and Bobby, into the haunted mansion he inherited from his uncle, a rich and eccentric collector. Many people might not know that Gunn was involved in the film’s screenwriting process, but was in fact tasked with performing some rewrites on the script. However, he was never credited for it.

Unfortunately, the movie did not receive positive reviews from critics, who lamented the lack of scares as well as the film’s poor editing, despite praising the excellent product design. Nevertheless, regardless of the mainly negative reception and poor box office success at the time of its release, the movie has gained a cult following over the years. This secret James Gunn 2000s horror flop is worth revisiting.

6

Scooby-Doo (2002)

Directed By Raja Gosnell

The first widely popular, mainstream, Hollywood success Gunn worked on was Scooby-Doo, the live-action adaptation of the iconic cartoon thriller of the same name. The plot follows the famous and beloved characters of Shaggy, Daphne, Fred, Velma, and the тιтular dog, as they attempt to unveil the mystery of a horror-themed island resort. Gunn co-wrote the screenplay for the movie.

This adaptation of the animated series presents some of the classic humor and jokes later found in Gunn’s movies. Although the film did not receive positive reviews when it came out, the lack of critical acclaim did not prevent it from becoming a cult over the years, and even having its own sequel. Regardless of the critics, Scooby-Doo was an exciting and fun addition to its extensive franchise that did not lack the ingenuity we’d later find in future projects by Gunn.

5

Dawn Of The ᴅᴇᴀᴅ (2004)

Directed By Zack Snyder

Zack Snyder’s Dawn of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ is one of the most famous action zombie movies in the history of cinema, a classic of the early 2000s. The movie is a remake of the critically acclaimed cult of the same name written and directed by the legendary George A. Romero. The story explores a group of survivors who, during a zombie apocalypse, hide in a suburban shopping mall. However, even longtime fans might not know that Gunn was the one who crafted the screenplay.

Romero had some comments about the new Dawn of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, mainly seeing it as an okay action fest. Despite the director of the original film’s lukewarm response to the remake, Dawn of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ was still relatively well-received by the critics, who commended the acting and production values. Gunn was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award for this project.

4

Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004)

Directed By Raja Gosnell

Gunn came back to write for one of the most beloved 2000s franchises once again when he crafted the screenplay for the live-action Scooby-Doo‘s awaited sequel. The movie sees the return of the popular group of investigators from the cartoons and the continuation of their first live-action adaptation as they once again embark on a mysterious journey.

Unfortunately, the film did not receive positive reviews and, although it did well at the box office, it was still less profitable than its predecessor, which prevented Gunn from writing and directing a third installment as he had planned. In 2020, the director revealed on Twitter the original and exciting plot for the third movie, with intriguing plot twists and a lesson on prejudices (via MovieWeb). Despite the canceled sequel, Scooby-Doo 2 is still remembered to this day as a cult, and in 2024 Gunn celebrated the 20-year anniversary of the movie.

3

PG Porn (2008-2009)

Created By James Gunn, Brian Gunn, & Sean Gunn

Perhaps the most shocking addition to the varied filmography of the director of Guardians of the Galaxy is the eight-episode show PG Porn, a web series developed by James Gunn and his brothers Brian and Sean. The show is a sequence of pornographic spoofs where a funny occurrence happens before the pornographic acts start.

An interesting feature of the show is that each episode pairs a mainstream actor or actress with a partner from the porn industry. The series shows the influence that James Gunn’s earlier career with Troma had on his professional and artistic choices. The absurd, deeply satirical vein was exploited for this unusual project, proving his off-color yet absolutely exhilarating brilliance and his bold creative approach. While it is not the most famous of his creations, it is a testament to his crude and outrageous artistic style.

2

Movie 43 (2013)

Directed By Various, Including James Gunn, Bob Odenkirk, & Elizabeth Banks

Movie 43 is an anthological movie that covers 14 different storylines and sketches interconnected with each other, as a washed-up Hollywood producer proposes the most absurd ideas to the studios. James Gunn is only one of the many directors of the film, including Bob Odenkirk and Steven Brill. Among the long list of names behind and before the camera, it is understandable not to know that it was also written by Gunn.

Gunn directed the chapter тιтled “Beezel,” a mid-credit sketch that features Amy (Elizabeth Banks) growing increasingly jealous of her boyfriend’s relationship with his animated cat, Beezel. The story has the gory and vulgar elements typical of Gunn’s projects. Movie 43 mainly received negative reviews despite its stellar cast when it premiered in 2013, but the success at the box office was modest. Regardless (and somewhat characteristic) of its critical reception, The Washington Post defined it as “a near masterpiece of tastelessness” (via Metacritic).

1

The Belko Experiment (2016)

Directed ByGreg McLean

The Belko Experiment is an action-psychological horror directed by Greg McLean and written by Gunn. The story follows eight foreigners working for a big company in Bogotà, Colombia, who, after arriving to work one day, are locked in the building as an unknown presence encourages the employees to kill each other or else they will be killed.

The film received primarily mixed reviews from critics but is considered one of the best movies written by James Gunn. However, the creative genius of its premises is hard to ignore. In pure Gunn fashion, the movie is not short of fun, absurdity, or gore, but also has a psychological twist to it. Interestingly enough, James Gunn stated that the idea for the movie came to him through a dream around 2007, but waited for years before realizing the project due to scheduling conflicts (via Collider).

Source: Far Out, The New York Times, MovieWeb, Metacritic, Collider