James Gunn films ranked from hidden gem to 'action masterpiece'

Daily Mirror

12-07-2025

The filmmaker has written and directed some huge hits
The DC cinematic universe restarts in earnest as Superman flies into cinemas under the guidance of filmmaker James Gunn.
Gunn and the new studio he leads are hoping replicate just some of the success he enjoyed while making projects for Marvel. However, there are examples of Gunn's early filmography that suggests why he should be the man for the job.
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Across his career, he has managed to seamlessly blend genres from horror to sci-fi and action adventures with a keen eye on visuals and emotional musical moments. While time will tell where Superman and Gunn's future DC titles place among his other work, here is a short ranked list of his early films as writer and director or both.
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Super
Super starred Rain Wilson at the height of his fame after starring in The Office, as an ordinary man who has lived a disappointing life. He decides to transform himself into a superhero and fight crime when his wife, a recovering addict, leaves him for another man.
That other man just so happens to be a drug dealing Kevin Bacon who has an army of henchmen at his disposal. Crimson Bolt, uses savage violence to compensate for his lack of superhuman abilities, and sets out to rescue his wife from a drug dealer.
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While promoting Superman, Gunn shared he believed he had never made a superhero movie before. While audiences might think this counts, the hero we find in Super does not have any actual powers.
The film is now considered a dark hidden gem, despite receiving a mixed reception upon release. It hit some cinemas in 2010, and was somewhat overlooked by Kick-Ass which shared a release year and a similar concept in examining the comic book superhero.
As one fan said: "I love how this movie is messed up and it's exactly why i like it. it's definitely not for everyone. The main characters are sadistic and delusional. While the movie challenges the moral stuff in superhero genre by putting it into the real world context in a sick, disturbing manner, still doesn't take itself too seriously."
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Super is available to rent on Apple TV and Amazon Video.
The Belko Experiment
Released in 2017, Gunn penned the script for The Belko Experiment, while he was busy between Marvel projects. However, it fits into the style of his older titles with its use of violence and dark tone.
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The premise sees eighty Americans fall prey to a deadly experiment when they are locked in their company's corporate office and an anonymous voice orders them to kill each other in order to survive.
One fan claimed: "Underrated film, this idea has been done before but The Belko Experiment executes the movie better than its predecessors in my opinion. Reminds me of Battle Royale but in an office setting with adults."
The Belko Experiment is streaming on Prime Video.
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Dawn of the Dead
Another of Gunn's early filmography where he was the film's screenwriter, before also sitting in the director's chair. After having written the script for the live-action adaptation for Scooby-Doo (yes, really) Gunn was tasked with penning the remake for a zombie horror classic.
Interestingly, while Gunn was the writer for the 2004 version, it was Zack Snyder, the man he replaced as essentially creative lead for DC's cinematic output, who directed it.
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It follows the same story as the original, with survivors of an epidemic which causes the infected to turn into flesh-eating zombies take refuge in a shopping mall. In addition to battling the undead, they also have to tackle problems from within.
This remake saw the introduction of faster, more aggressive zombies. One fan claimed it was an 'instant classic' while another said: "24 years later, still no other film can top this masterpiece. The best zombie film ever created in my opinion."
Dawn of the Dead is streaming on Netflix soon.
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Guardians of the Galaxy
Many comic book and film fans may have been forgiven for scratching their heads when it was announced this obscure team of characters would be getting their own movie. Never mind that it would be Gunn to make it.
Yet the director blew fans and critics away with his brightly coloured and witty space adventure. This film remains Gunn's highest rated feature film on Rotten Tomatoes with 92% even after two sequels.
The Guardians of the Galaxy may not be so obscure any more but its worth remembering how, even among dedicated fans they were not well known. After watching this, it makes perfect sense that Gunn would be handed responsibility for Superman and his Justice League friends.
As one fan put it: "Guardians of the Galaxy is pure Marvel magic packed with humour, heart, stunning visuals, and a killer soundtrack. Every time I rewatch it, my mood instantly lifts. James Gunn turned this into a musical-action masterpiece."