In 2022,Warner Bros. Discovery hired Gunn and his longtime producerPeter Safran to become co-chairmen and co-CEOs ofDC Studios.[1] Under DC Studios, Gunn co-produced and executive produced every film and television series under theDC Universe (DCU) media franchise alongside Safran, which acts as a soft-reboot of theDC Extended Universe (DCEU). In the DCU, he is the creator of the seriesCreature Commandos (2024) and the writer-director of the filmSuperman (2025).
James Francis Gunn Jr.[2] was born on August 5, 1966[3][n 1] inSt. Louis, Missouri,[4] to parents James F. Gunn, an attorney, and Leota "Lee" (Hynek).[8][9][10] He was raisedCatholic[11] in the St. Louis suburb ofManchester, Missouri.[12][13] He has five siblings — actorSean, actor and political writerMatt, screenwriterBrian, Patrick, and Beth.[14][15][16] Gunn is ofIrish descent,[17] his father coming from an Irish immigrant family.[18] Gunn has stated that his family's surname was originally theIrish name MacGilgunn and that it means "sons to the servants of the god of the dead"; it actually means "son of the brown youth."[19][20][21] He also hasJewish roots.[22]
While living in St. Louis, Gunn founded a band, The Icons, in 1989, serving as lead vocalist. The group released the albumMom, We Like It Here on Earth in 1994, and its songs "Sunday" and "Walking Naked" were featured in the filmTromeo and Juliet. The Icons disbanded in the mid-1990s.[28] Gunn has continued to work in music, composing songs forScooby-Doo,Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, andMovie 43.
Film and television
Gunn in 2013
Gunn began his career in filmmaking withTroma Entertainment in 1996, for which he co-wrote the independent filmTromeo and Juliet. Working alongside his mentorLloyd Kaufman, the co-founder of Troma, Gunn learned how to write screenplays, produce films, scout locations, direct actors, distribute films, and create his own poster art.[23] After contributing to several other Troma films, Gunn in 2000 wrote, produced and performed in the superhero comedyThe Specials, directed byCraig Mazin and featuringRob Lowe,Thomas Haden Church,Paget Brewster,Judy Greer andJamie Kennedy.
Gunn's first major Hollywood screenplay wasScooby-Doo in 2002. In 2004, he wrote the screenplays for the remake ofDawn of the Dead and the sequelScooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. With these films, Gunn became the first screenwriter to have two films top the box office in consecutive weeks.[29] That same year, he executive produced and starred in the mockumentaryLolliLove, directed by and starring his then-wifeJenna Fischer. His film directorial debut was the 2006 horror-comedySlither, which was included on Rotten Tomatoes' list of the 50 Best Ever Reviewed Horror Movies.[30]
Gunn's next projects included the comedy short film "Humanzee!" which was originally intended exclusively for the Xbox Live'sHorror Meets Comedy series of short comedy films by horror directors, it was replaced with "Sparky and Mikaela" which debuted on Xbox Live on December 31, 2008. In an April 2009 interview onTheJace Hall Show, Gunn described "Sparky and Mikaela" as being "about a human [and] racoon crime fighting team and they fight crime in both the forest world, among the furry animals, and in the human world".[31] Gunn also has a short-form web series forSpike.com titledJames Gunn's PG Porn.
In 2008, Gunn was a judge on theVH1 reality television showScream Queens, where 10 unknown actresses compete for a role in the filmSaw VI.[32]
In 2009, Gunn announced he was going to write and directPets, a comedy about a man who is abducted by aliens who want to turn him into a household pet, withBen Stiller,Stuart Cornfeld and Jeremy Kramer producing.[33] However, by March 2009, Gunn announced, "Pets unfortunately, is done. I'm gone. I left the project for various reasons. I hope it sees the light of day somehow, but it won't be with me attached as director."[34]
Gunn co-wrote and directed theMarvel Studios adaptation ofGuardians of the Galaxy, which was released on August 1, 2014.[35] His brother, Sean, has a role in the film. Gunn has appeared as an actor, mostly in smaller roles or uncredited appearances in his own projects. AfterDan Gilroy andJack Black separately lamented the proliferation of superhero films,[36] Gunn responded in a Facebook post, saying in part:
Popular fare in any medium has always been snubbed by the self-appointed elite. ... What bothers me slightly is that many people assume because you make big films that you put less love, care, and thought into them than people do who make independent films or who make what are considered more serious Hollywood films. ... If you think people who make superhero movies are dumb, come out and say we're dumb. But if you, as an independent filmmaker or a 'serious' filmmaker, think you put more love into your characters than theRusso Brothers doCaptain America, orJoss Whedon does theHulk, or I do a talking raccoon, you are simply mistaken.[37]
Gunn wrote a novel in 2000,The Toy Collector, a story of a hospital orderly who steals drugs from the hospital which he sells to help keep his toy collection habit alive. In 1998, he and Troma's President Lloyd Kaufman co-wroteAll I Need to Know About Filmmaking I Learned from The Toxic Avenger, about his experiences with Kaufman while working at Troma.
In July 2018, in reaction to Gunn's public criticism of PresidentDonald Trump, right-wing commentatorMike Cernovich drew attention to controversial jokes that Gunn had posted on social media between 2008 and 2012 involving topics such aschild sexual abuse,rape, and theHolocaust.[53][54] Amid criticism of the tweets, Disney severed ties with Gunn as the director of the upcomingGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 film.[55]
Gunn responded, describing the jokes as "stupid, not at all funny, wildly insensitive, and certainly not provocative like I had hoped". He continued apologetically, "Even these many years later, I take full responsibility for the way I conducted myself then. All I can do now, beyond offering my sincere and heartfelt regret, is to be the best human being I can be: accepting, understanding, committed to equality, and far more thoughtful about my public statements and my obligations to our public discourse."[55][56]
Because of the situation,Sony Pictures did not promote the horror filmBrightburn, which Gunn had produced, at the 2018San Diego Comic-Con, which took place in the days after Gunn's dismissal.[77] However, when the first trailer for the film was released on December 8, Gunn's name was prominently featured, and the film opened in May 2019.[78]
In March 2019, Gunn was reinstated by Disney as director of the film after meeting withAlan Horn, chairman of Walt Disney Studios. Gunn started production onGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in October 2021, afterThe Suicide Squad had been completed.[46]
Gunn and frequent producing partnerPeter Safran had advisedDavid Zaslav, the CEO of the newly createdWarner Bros. Discovery, during his search for a new head ofDC Films. The duo impressed Zaslav, who decided to appoint them as the co-chairpersons and CEOs of DC Films, rebranded as "DC Studios". The two were given control over films, animation and television projects based on characters fromDC Comics. Gunn was to oversee the creative aspects and will be exclusive to Warner Bros. Discovery during his tenure, except for his prior commitments to Disney. The two first worked together on the 2000 superhero comedy filmThe Specials written by Gunn with Safran as co-executive producer, with subsequent collaborations including Gunn's 2008 short filmsSparky & Mikaela andHumanzee!, the television seriesJames Gunn's PG Porn (2008–2009),The Belko Experiment (2016) and the DCEU filmThe Suicide Squad (2021). The two assumed their positions on November 1, 2022.[79][80][81][82]
In December 2022, Gunn announced that he was writing a film about a youngSuperman during his early years inMetropolis,[83] later revealed to be titledSuperman and released in July 2025; in March 2023 it was confirmed Gunn would also direct the project.[84] In January 2023, Gunn and Safran revealed their plans for future DCU films, with the first chapter being titled "Gods and Monsters". Gunn also wrote a seven-episode animated series titledCreature Commandos, based on thecomic book team of the same name,[85] and released ahead ofSuperman in December 2024,[86] and also worked on the HBO Max seriesWaller, a spin-off ofPeacemaker focusing on the character ofAmanda Waller, with Christal Henry writing andViola Davis reprising her role from previous DCEU projects.[87][88] Gunn is also involved in multiple other DC projects, including producingSupergirl due for release in 2026.[89][90]
Following the success ofSuperman, Gunn announced a follow-up film in September 2025, titledMan of Tomorrow, using new artwork fromJim Lee. The film is set to be released in 2027, withDavid Corenswet andNicholas Hoult expected to reprise their roles.[91] Thesecond season ofPeacemaker was also produced by the Gunn and Safran-led DC Studios. Most of thefirst season iscanon to the DCU, but only the second season, written in 2023 and aired in August–October 2025, is part of the Gods and Monsters chapter.[86][92][93]
Personal life
Gunn married actressJenna Fischer on October 7, 2000.[8] After seven years of marriage, Gunn and Fischer announced their separation in a joint statement on September 5, 2007,[94] divorcing in 2008.[95] The two remained friends. In 2010, Fischer persuaded Gunn to castRainn Wilson, her co-star onThe Office, in Gunn's filmSuper.[23]
Gunn has been in a relationship with actressJennifer Holland since 2015.[96] In February 2022, Holland and Gunn became engaged,[97] and were married at the end of September 2022.[98]
He has a dog named Ozu, adopted from a shelter in 2022. Gunn has regularly shared photos of the dog and promoted the hashtag #AdoptDontShop.[99] For that reason as well as his CGI work onGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,PETA declared Gunn to be their 2023 Person of the Year.[100] Ozu served as the inspiration for the redesigned, CGI-animatedKrypto the Superdog in Gunn's 2025 adaptation ofSuperman.[101]
Gunn was raised in aCatholic family and has mentioned how prayer continues to play an important role in his life,[102] but has also said that he is, "in some ways, anti-religion".[103]
Plastic Man: While much is not known about this project or how far it got, Gunn pitched a basic idea back in the early 2000s whereMatthew Lillard would have starred as thetitular, wise cracking hero.[125]
The Newlyweds: In a 2002 interview withIGN, Gunn revealed that one of his next projects was a script calledThe Newlyweds forWarner Bros.,[126] which ultimately was not produced.
Pure stage musical: Gunn also revealed that he andTromeo and Juliet composer Willie Wisely were working on astage musical calledPure. Gunn described said project as "a love story revolving around a guy who kills and tortures people because he thinks it helps him write and draw better children's books."[126]
Scooby-Doo 3: Gunn was to have helmedScooby-Doo 3, which would have been the third film ofScooby-Doo (2002). However, due to the critical and financial failure ofScooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004),Warner Bros. cancelled the project.[127]
Creature from the Black Lagoon remake: In 2004, Gunn pitched toUniversal Pictures his screenplay that was intended to be a remake of the 1954 filmCreature from the Black Lagoon, but the studio turned down the pitch.[127]
Untitled Satan film: While promoting his filmSlither (2006), Gunn revealed toIGN that he was in the process of writing a "much darker" movie aboutSatan. "I feel good about it," he said of the project at the time. "I think it's something special. [Slither] is really a call back to the '80s films and I think what I'm doing now, it's kind of its own thing."[128]
Pets: In 2007, it was reported that Gunn was to write and direct a comedy film forNew Regency titledPets, withBen Stiller serving as one of the producers.[122][129] Gunn left the project due to creative differences.[122][130]
It's Alive remake:Larry Cohen said in a 2017 interview that Gunn had approached him for permission to make a remake of his 1974 filmIt's Alive. According to Cohen, Gunn "couldn't raise enough money to buy the rights. I'm sorry today I didn't give them to him."[131]
Starsky & Hutch TV continuation: On August 31, 2017, Gunn was set to direct and co-write a dramatic continuation ofStarsky & Hutch with his brother Brian & cousin Mark Gunn as co-writers forPrime Video.[132] On July 24, 2018, an Amazon Studios spokesperson revealed onYahoo! Finance that the series was cancelled months beforeGunn was fired fromGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.[133]
Ravagers TV spinoff: In August 2017, Gunn said that he was in talks withMarvel Studios to make aRavagers spinoff series.[134][135]
Untitled Drax and Mantis spinoff film: In September 2017, Gunn said he would continue to work withMarvel Studios on projects that use theGuardians of the Galaxy.[136] In 2021, actorDave Bautista revealed that a film that Gunn "really wanted to do [was] aDrax andMantis film". However, no follow-up was heard from the studio, so the idea was likely scrapped.[137] These characters did get to later be featured inThe Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.
Untitled Batman film: Duringpre-production ofGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,Warner Bros. approached Gunn to make aBatman film for theDC Extended Universe (DCEU). However, Gunn turned down the chance due to his focus on the thirdGuardians of the Galaxy film. After he was briefly fired from the project in 2018, Warner would offer him aSuperman film (which according to him, if they had come up to him then with directing Batman, he would have said affirmatively), but Gunn ended up choosing to do aSuicide Squad film, which ended up becomingThe Suicide Squad. Once president ofDC Studios and one of the architects of theDC Universe (DCU), Gunn will produce the Batman filmThe Brave and the Bold.[138]
2020s
The Suicide Squad sequel: In 2021, Gunn stated that he had ideas for a potential sequel to his filmThe Suicide Squad.[139] In 2022, Gunn said there had been discussions about a sequel and he was considering it for his next feature film but his focus was on television for the foreseeable future following his positive experience makingPeacemaker.[140] The following June, Gunn said there would not be a sequel.[141]
^Vary, Adam B. (May 3, 2017)."Marvel's Dark And Twisted Guardian".BuzzFeed News.BuzzFeed.Archived from the original on June 27, 2019. RetrievedSeptember 5, 2024.[James Gunn] was the oldest of six siblings — five boys, one girl — all born roughly a year apart starting in 1970.
^ab"Notable Alumni: SLUH". St. Louis University High School. Archived fromthe original on September 19, 2015. RetrievedDecember 6, 2014.James Gunn '84, filmmaker and screenwriter; Brian Gunn '88, screenwriter; Matt Gunn '90, writer for HBO show Real Time with Bill Maher; Sean Gunn '92, actor.
^WhileDoctor Strange director Scott Derrickson believed Gunn directed four cameos, Gunn said on social media, "To be honest, I think I only did THREE cameos — one was shot by someone else. And my third probably isn't what you think it is….":"James Gunn directed the next four Stan Lee Marvel cameos".Entertainment Weekly. October 29, 2016.Archived from the original on November 1, 2016. RetrievedOctober 29, 2016.
^Lovece, Frank (May 4, 2017)."James Gunn says 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' a family affair".Newsday. New York City/Long Island.Archived from the original on May 8, 2017. RetrievedMay 5, 2017.And while he directed the Stan Lee cameo in director Scott Derrickson'sDoctor Strange, he did not direct the Marvel Comics impresario's cameos in the upcomingThor: Ragnarok orSpider-Man: Homecoming. But, he reveals, 'I did do one that I can't talk about.'Additional on May 5, 2017.
Steve Baker,Ricky Blitt, Will Carlough, Tobias Carlson, Jacob Fleisher, Patrik Forsberg, Will Graham,James Gunn, Claes Kjellstrom, Jack Kukoda,Bob Odenkirk, Bill O'Malley, Matthew Alec Portenoy,Greg Pritikin, Rocky Russo,Olle Sarri, Elizabeth Wright Shapiro,Jeremy Sosenko, Jonathan van Tulleken, and Jonas Wittenmark (2013)
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