James Gunn has totally shaken up superhero stories with his mix of oddball characters, space fights, and flawed heroes with a lot of heart. He’s great at making you laugh and care at the same time, giving us characters and plots we won’t soon forget. Based on Men’s Health’s ranking, here are seven awesome projects that show just how talented he is, both in Marvel and the new DC universe.
7. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1, 2, 3 (2023)
James Gunn’s Guardians trilogy is a space opera infused with soul. The first film took obscure characters and turned them into beloved heroes with clever dialogue and retro vibes. Vol. 2 expands on family and identity and took several emotional turns, most notably with Yondu’s redemption arc. In Vol. 3, we received a heartfelt goodbye that took on Rocket’s particularly tragic backstory and closed character arcs while also having emotional weight. This trilogy completely redefined the tone of the “Marvel” universe and demonstrated that weird, heartfelt stories can win audiences’ hearts.
6. Superman (2025)
This new Superman story reaffirmed the Man of Steel with emotional honesty and authenticity. The movie opted away from the very serious tones that had haunted previously done Superman adaptations and instead shows a Superman who is embracing the positive energy that comes from kindness, optimism, and small-town upbringing. David Corenswet takes over the mantle of Superman; here, Clark Kent is a friendly and powerful alien, as well as human and a character with reasonable potential for character growth. This fresh new take on Superman strikes a cool balance and should provide a nice direction to return to a character-driven DCU.
5. The Suicide Squad (2021)
Gunn really hit the bullseye with this R-rated reboot/sequel, reviving the franchise that 2016 had bungled up. The man charged with the task of reassembling the strangest team ever—Bloodsport, King Shark, Harley Quinn, and co.—only to sink them deep down into a glorious bloody mess that happens to be equally funny and heartwarming. So weird, yet those characters do matter to you. It’s messy, it’s bold, and it’s lasting, just to show how Gunn will take any awkward, gross moment and have you put your heart in it by the end.
4. Slither (2006)
Before there were superheroes and space operas, Gunn let loose this cult favourite horror-comedy. Slither is a wild ride – think alien bugs, seriously gross stuff, and jokes that actually land. It owns its B-movie vibe, managing to be scary and funny at the same time. With Nathan Fillion and Elizabeth Banks leading the way, it’s clear that Gunn already knew how to make gore and humour work together like a charm. While it wasn’t a box office hit, Slither has gained a cult following—and it was a sign of the deviously inventive filmmaker that he was meant to be.
3. Brightburn (2019)
Even though James Gunn didn’t call the shots on Brightburn, he still produced it and dreamed up the basic story. It’s a creepy take on the Superman story—what if a kid with superpowers decided to be a bad guy? The film weaves together superhero tropes and horror elements and takes a child and turns him into a harrowing, destructive presence. The premise is exciting, dark, and uncomfortable—with an anti-hero narrative that is a full-on think piece on typical comic book characters. Brightburn was polarizing among critics, but audiences were able to find their niche because of the unsettling tone and Gunn’s recognizable artistic license.
2. Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Even though Gunn didn’t direct it, his script for Zack Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead totally revived the zombie genre. Acting fast and furious, brutal in tone – a horror-action hybrid of a film – choreographing with urgency-so did Snyder-Dawn classic, with almost teasing irony and black humour; and all credit to the writing to Gunn, who gave just enough emotional reality to a gruesome pandemonium. It is a big milestone in the career of Gunn and provides some insight into his ability to combine horror with humanity.
1. Scooby – Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004)
James Gunn wrote Scooby-Doo 2 to be super campy and fun. He took all the cartoon’s goofy monsters and made them real with bright, crazy effects and jokes that know they’re silly. While the first film introduced the gang and did just well enough to announce that Scooby was back, this sequel embraces its animated origin with fairly heavy-handedness and forces its way to a nice mixture of nostalgia for the old-timers and a more modern animated vibe. It follows a storyline where Mystery Inc. wrestles with a masked villain who is bringing back their previous animated enemies. Gunn’s humour is all over this movie, so kids will have a blast, and adults can get a kick out of it. Critics weren’t all that into it at the time, but the movie’s become a cult fave, especially for millennials who grew up watching Scooby-Doo.
Also Read: From Sidekick to Superstar; 10 Spin-Off Films That Hit as Hard as the Originals
Wrapping Up
James Gunn has never been just another filmmaker; he is a storyteller who sees the heart in places of disorder. Whether writing Scooby-Doo or redefining cinematic universes, James Gunn, with each vignette, is a storyteller who creates stories that have depth, laughter, loss, and the unlikely journey of heroes. These seven movies showcased the strange in normalcy and the brilliant in absurdity, all created by James Gunn. He does not merely make showbiz: he makes surprises, emotional contact, and a statement – every time.
Written by Nidhi Singh