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8 Movies People Don’t Know Were Written by James Gunn

January 5, 2025
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8 Movies People Don’t Know Were Written by James Gunn

James Gunn is as good a writer as a director, but he presumably enjoys working the pen (or the keyboard) more than the camera. The DC Studios co-chair wrote all episodes of his latest hit show, Creature Commandos, but left the rest of the work to other talented individuals in his camp. He is also reported to have written all episodes of the second season of Peacemaker, but he’ll only be directing a few.

Could it just be a case of him being busy? Not really. Even before becoming DC Studios’ captain, Gunn wrote more movies than he directed. He began his career at Troma Entertainment, where he learned how to write screenplays from his mentor, Lloyd Kaufman. Since then, he has been on a roll, and we can’t wait to see more from him.

Today, Gunn’s work in the superhero genre is well known. Whether it’s the small-budget, Super, or the Guardians of the Galaxy films, he has made significant contributions. Beyond that, Gunn is responsible for the screenplays of a few other movies. Some are little-known indie flicks while others are big-budget flicks whose credit (or dishonor) mostly went to the director and actors.

8

‘The Belko Experiment’ (2016)

Anyone who doubts that Gunn and DC Studios co-chair Peter Safran can work well together need only watch The Belko Experiment. Written by the former and produced by the latter, the horror flick is about eighty foreigners (mostly Americans) working in Bogotá, Colombia, for a company named Belko Industries. One day, after reporting for duty, they are locked inside the building, and ordered to kill each other, or else.

Worth the Wait

Gunn reportedly got the idea for the film from a dream he had in 2007, but he kept postponing making it due to other commitments. Realizing he would never get the time, he wrote it and passed the directorial duties to Wolf Creek’s Greg McClean.

The Belko Experiment is unlike any trapped-in-a-facility horror movie you’ll ever see – offbeat, bold, and altogether dazzling. The standard workplace premise is elevated by the idea of ordinary people as antagonists, and the chill-inducing atmosphere is maintained throughout. Sit tight for the knockout ending.

Karen Gillan as Nebula in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

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7

‘The Specials’ (2000)

The Specials revolves around the titular struggling superhero group. It’s currently the seventh most popular team in the world and has a hard time landing endorsements. The members thus spend their days idling around since they only get the cases deemed too low-priority for other superpowered squads.

A Sitcom-Style Superhero Movie

The film felt silly when it came out (especially because of the weird paint on the skin of the actors), but it was ahead of its time. A sitcom-style format was weird for a superhero story, but if The Specials hadn’t happened, we wouldn’t have WandaVision. The characters are fun, especially one played by Gunn himself, and so is the dialogue.

The cast members hated working on the movie so much that one of them threw a piece of outdoor patio furniture at Gunn. But Gunn believes that if he had never made this film, big studios would never have come calling.

6

‘Dawn of the Dead’ (2004)

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Release Date

March 19, 2004

Runtime

Zack Snyder and James Gunn might have totally different ideas about what makes a great superhero movie, but they were in agreement about zombies. Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead, a remake of the classic George Romero movie, was written by Gunn, and it turned out to be the best thing both him and Snyder had done at the time. The film follows a group of residents as they try to survive a zombie apocalypse holed up in a suburban Milwaukee shopping mall.

Reinventing the Genre

The new Dawn of the Dead veers broadly from the original tale while retaining its terrifying aspect. All the actors give performances that are both silly and achingly sympathetic, and the creatures seem more fun because of their fast movements. Snyder’s meticulous handling of atmosphere, Gunn’s fabulous script and David LeRoy-inspired make-up combine to elevate this eerie study of terror far above most of the campier zombie pictures that followed.

5

‘LolliLove’ (2004)

Gunn not only wrote LolliLove but also starred in the mockumentary alongside his then-wife, Jenna Fischer (best known as Pam from The Office). The film is about a self-absorbed married couple who figure they can combat homelessness in Los Angeles by distributing lollipops wrapped in inspirational messages and artwork. They assume the move will inspire the recipients to better their lives, but they get a reality check.

Better than the Average Rom Com

Gunn and Fischer (who also directs) draw inspiration from popular rom-coms of the 2000s, but pare back the melodrama while digging deep into themes of class divide, delusion, and self-importance. This touching, tender tale resonates today, and it will leave you wishing Gunn would act more. The film won a few awards, including a Screen Actors Guild Emerging Actor Award for Fischer, so be guaranteed a good time.

4

‘Tromeo and Juliet’ (1996)

For Tromeo and Juliet, James Gunn plugged the classic Shakespeare play into modern New York City. In the film, the rebellious Tromeo Que (Will Keenan) falls for Juliet Capulet (Jane Jensen), an unhappy damsel whose parents have arranged for her to be married to a man she doesn’t like. Predictably, their love begets tragedy.

Shakespeare in New York

Shortly after joining Troma Entertainment, Gunn crafted this virtuoso tale of romance, his first ever for the big screen. Will Keenan is brilliant, assuming the familiar role from Shakespeare’s pages. Still, it’s Jane Jensen’s touching turn as a woman in emotional turmoil that remains locked in your brain for good. This is Romeo and Juliet for adults, with lots of violence and explicit content, so hide the kids.

3

‘Thir13en Ghosts’ (2001)

In Thir13en Ghosts, the widowed father, Arthur Kriticos (Tony Shalhoub), inherits a glass mansion from his wealthy uncle, Cyrus Kriticos (F. Murray Abraham), and moves in with his two children and their nanny. Unknown to them, the house is full of ghosts that can open a portal to the underworld.

A Weaker Remake That Still Thrills

Thir13en Ghosts is a remake of the 1960 film of the same name by William Castle, but it isn’t superior. Critics panned it for an incoherent plot, though James Gunn isn’t entirely to blame. He was only brought in later to do rewrites. Despite the plot weaknesses, the movie offers enough jump scares to thrill genre fans. On top of that, the score is brutally tailored to fit the scenes… the kind of sound that prompts audiences to run away from the speakers.

James Gunn in Superpowerd

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2

‘Scooby-Doo’ (2002)

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Scooby-Doo

Release Date

June 14, 2002

Runtime

86 Minutes

James Gunn was given the responsibility of directing the first installment of the Scooby-Doo live-action film series, and he chose a story where the Mystery Incorporated reunite after a two-year disbandment to investigate strange happenings at Spooky Island, a popular horror-themed tropical resort. The film was a major box office hit, proving that the writer was more than ready for the big leagues.

Critics Hated It, But Fans Loved It

With a great cast that included Rowan Atkinson (as the resort owner) and Matthew Lillard (as Shaggy), Scooby-Doo was always destined to be a major hit. However, critics weren’t impressed with the film, in general. Roger Ebert gave it one of his shortest and most brutal reviews, while others concluded that it felt more basic than the old Hanna Barbera cartoons. Even so, potential streaming audiences shouldn’t be discouraged. It attained cult status for a reason, and the twist-ending will blow you away.

1

‘Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed’ (2004)

Despite the first film’s poor reception, James Gunn was brought back for Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, a sequel that sees Mystery Inc. trying to save Coolsville from a group of monsters. On top of that, they deal with a journalist eager to discredit their investigations.

Could Be Better, but the Gang Is Still Funny

James Gunn’s progressively structured script doesn’t shy from weighing heroism against necessity, and director Raja Gosnell’s solid management of all the stars causes them all to bring out their best performances. Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. won a Razzie for Worst Remake or Sequel, but franchise fans will find all the negativity easy to ignore, given how beautifully the film captures all the basics.


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