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IMDbPro

James Gunn(II)

  • Writer
  • Producer
  • Director
IMDbProStarmeter
Top 5,00020
James Gunn
Margot Robbie, Daniela Melchior, John Cena, Joel Kinnaman, Jai Courtney, Nathan Fillion, Flula Borg, Mayling Ng, Alice Braga, Juan Diego Botto, Joaquín Cosio and writer/director James Gunn answer your burning questions about 'The Suicide Squad.' Find out why King Shark is best dressed, why T.D.K. can be so "handy," and why Javelin was riffing about Harley's "defecation situation."
Play clip4:19
'The Suicide Squad' Reveals Why Ratcatcher 2 Has the Best Superpower
20 Videos
99+ Photos
James Gunn was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, to Leota and James Francis Gunn. He is from a large Catholic family, with Irish and Czech ancestry. His father and his uncles were all lawyers. He has been writing and performing as long as he can remember. He began making 8mm films at the age of twelve. Many of these were comedic splatter films featuring his brothers being disemboweled by zombies. He attended Saint Louis University High (SLUH) college preparatory school but later dropped out of college to pursue a rock and roll career.

His band, "the Icons", released one album, "Mom, We Like It Here on Earth". He earned very little money doing this and so during this time, he also worked as an orderly in Tucson, Arizona, upon which many of the situations in his first novel, "The Toy Collector", are based. He wrote and drew comic strips for underground and college newspapers.

Gunn eventually returned to school and received his B.A. at Saint Louis University in his native St. Louis. He moved to New York where he received an MFA in creative writing from Columbia University, which he today thinks may have been a wonderfully expensive waste of time. While finishing his MFA, he started writing "The Toy Collector" and began working for "Troma Studios", America's leading B-Movie production company. While there he wrote and produced the cult classic Tromeo and Juliet (1996) and, with Lloyd Kaufman, he wrote "All I Need to Know about Filmmaking I Learned from the Toxic Avenger".

Gunn had a spiritual awakening in Cannes in 1997 and quit Troma and relocated from New York to Los Angeles. He wrote and acted in the film The Specials (2000) with Rob Lowe, Jamie Kennedy, Thomas J. Churchill and his brother Sean Gunn. He wrote two scripts for Warner Brothers live action movies: Spy vs. Spy (1985) and Scooby-Doo (2002). In 1999, after almost five years, he finished "The Toy Collector". After doing Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004), Gunn made his directorial debut with Slither (2006). He later made the superhero film Super (2010) and the successful Marvel films Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) and its sequel Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Gunn has four brothers, all of whom are in the entertainment industry. His brother, Patrick Gunn, is a Senior VP at Artisan Entertainment, the company responsible for distributing (and the marketing campaign of) The Blair Witch Project (1999). His brother, Brian Gunn, is a screenwriter who works in partnership with their cousin Mark Gunn.

Gunn's brother, Matt Gunn wrote and starred in the winner of the 1997 Sundance Film Festival, Man About Town (1997). Gunn's brother, Sean Gunn, is an actor regularly seen in films, commercials, and such TV shows as Angel (1999). James and Sean have collaborated on two occasions Sean starred in Tromeo and Juliet (1996), and they acted together and co-produced The Specials (2000). The brothers have one sister, Beth, who is a lawyer.

Gunn married actress and cartoonist Jenna Fischer in 2000. They divorced in 2008. He is now in a relationship with Jennifer Holland
BornAugust 5, 1966
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornAugust 5, 1966
IMDbProStarmeter
Top 5,00020
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
  • Awards

Photos145

James Gunn, Michael Rooker, and Ivan Urgant in Evening Urgant (2012)
James Gunn in IMDb: What to Watch (2013)
James Gunn in IMDb: What to Watch (2013)
James Gunn in IMDb: What to Watch (2013)
James Gunn, Chris Hardwick, and Patton Oswalt in Talking Dead (2011)
James Gunn, Chris Hardwick, and Patton Oswalt in Talking Dead (2011)
James Gunn, Chris Hardwick, and Patton Oswalt in Talking Dead (2011)
James Gunn
James Gunn
James Gunn, Chris Pratt, and Dave Bautista in The Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special (2022)
Idris Elba and James Gunn in The Suicide Squad (2021)
Idris Elba and James Gunn in The Suicide Squad (2021)

Known for

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Guardians of the Galaxy
8.0
  • Writer
  • 2014
Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Chris Pratt, Michael Rooker, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, and Pom Klementieff in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
7.6
  • Writer
  • 2017
Richard Gere, Kate Winslet, Halle Berry, Seann William Scott, Anna Faris, Hugh Jackman, Johnny Knoxville, Emma Stone, Chloë Grace Moretz, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse in Movie 43 (2013)
Movie 43
4.3
  • Writer(segment Beezel)
  • 2013
Slither (2006)
Slither
6.5
  • Writer
  • 2006

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Writer

  • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
    • Post-production
  • Coyote v. Acme
    • Post-production
  • Superman: Legacy
    • In Development
  • Creature Commandos
    • In Production
  • Starsky & Hutch
    • In Development
  • Steve Agee, Dee Bradley Baker, Chukwudi Iwuji, John Cena, Jennifer Holland, Freddie Stroma, and Danielle Brooks in Peacemaker (2022)
    Peacemaker
    • (creator)
  • Dave Bautista and Pom Klementieff in The Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special (2022)
    The Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special
  • Will Keenan in Tromeo Found! 25 Years Later (2021)
    Tromeo Found! 25 Years Later
  • Sylvester Stallone, Peter Capaldi, Pete Davidson, Idris Elba, Nathan Fillion, Sean Gunn, Michael Rooker, John Cena, Joel Kinnaman, Jai Courtney, David Dastmalchian, Flula Borg, Margot Robbie, Mayling Ng, and Daniela Melchior in The Suicide Squad (2021)
    The Suicide Squad
  • David Hasselhoff, James Gunn, Sean Gunn, Michael Rooker, Zoe Saldana, David Yarovesky, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, and Pom Klementieff in Guardians of the Galaxy: Inferno (2017)
    Guardians of the Galaxy: Inferno
  • Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Chris Pratt, Michael Rooker, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, and Pom Klementieff in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
  • John Gallagher Jr. in The Belko Experiment (2016)
    The Belko Experiment
  • Dolphinman Battles the Sex Lobsters (2016)
    Dolphinman Battles the Sex Lobsters
  • Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
    Guardians of the Galaxy
  • Richard Gere, Kate Winslet, Halle Berry, Seann William Scott, Anna Faris, Hugh Jackman, Johnny Knoxville, Emma Stone, Chloë Grace Moretz, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse in Movie 43 (2013)
    Movie 43
    • (segment Beezel)
  • Lollipop Chainsaw (2012)
    Lollipop Chainsaw
  • Super: Deleted Scene (2010)
    Super: Deleted Scene
  • Liv Tyler, Elliot Page, and Rainn Wilson in Super (2010)
    Super
  • Du hard ou du cochon! (2010)
    Du hard ou du cochon!
  • PG Porn (2008)
    PG Porn
    • ...

Producer

  • Coyote v. Acme
    • Post-production
  • Joker: Folie à Deux
    • In Production
  • Waller
    • Pre-production
  • Creature Commandos
    • In Production
  • Booster Gold
    • In Development
  • Starsky & Hutch
    • In Development
  • Steve Agee, Dee Bradley Baker, Chukwudi Iwuji, John Cena, Jennifer Holland, Freddie Stroma, and Danielle Brooks in Peacemaker (2022)
    Peacemaker
  • Dave Bautista and Pom Klementieff in The Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special (2022)
    The Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special
  • Vin Diesel in I Am Groot (2022)
    I Am Groot
  • Jackson A. Dunn in Brightburn (2019)
    Brightburn
    • (produced by)
  • Don Cheadle, Robert Downey Jr., Josh Brolin, Bradley Cooper, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Brie Larson, Jeremy Renner, Paul Rudd, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Danai Gurira, and Karen Gillan in Avengers: Endgame (2019)
    Avengers: Endgame
  • Don Cheadle, Robert Downey Jr., Josh Brolin, Vin Diesel, Paul Bettany, Bradley Cooper, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Elizabeth Olsen, Chris Pratt, Mark Ruffalo, Zoe Saldana, Benedict Wong, Anthony Mackie, Chris Hemsworth, Dave Bautista, Benedict Cumberbatch, Chadwick Boseman, Sebastian Stan, Danai Gurira, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Letitia Wright, and Tom Holland in Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
    Avengers: Infinity War
  • David Hasselhoff, James Gunn, Sean Gunn, Michael Rooker, Zoe Saldana, David Yarovesky, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, and Pom Klementieff in Guardians of the Galaxy: Inferno (2017)
    Guardians of the Galaxy: Inferno
  • John Gallagher Jr. in The Belko Experiment (2016)
    The Belko Experiment
  • Jessica Nigri in Lollipop Chainsaw: Zom-Be-Gone (2012)
    Lollipop Chainsaw: Zom-Be-Gone
  • PG Porn (2008)
    PG Porn
    • (uncredited)
  • Post Apocalyptic Pizza (2009)
    Post Apocalyptic Pizza
    • (2009)
  • Sean Gunn and Jenna Haze in Humanzee! (2008)
    Humanzee!
  • Sparky & Mikaela (2008)
    Sparky & Mikaela
  • Fairy Tale Police (2008)
    Fairy Tale Police
  • Carlee Baker in Blue Like You (2008)
    Blue Like You

Director

  • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
    • Post-production
  • Steve Agee, Dee Bradley Baker, Chukwudi Iwuji, John Cena, Jennifer Holland, Freddie Stroma, and Danielle Brooks in Peacemaker (2022)
    Peacemaker
  • Dave Bautista and Pom Klementieff in The Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special (2022)
    The Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special
    • (directed by)
  • Sylvester Stallone, Peter Capaldi, Pete Davidson, Idris Elba, Nathan Fillion, Sean Gunn, Michael Rooker, John Cena, Joel Kinnaman, Jai Courtney, David Dastmalchian, Flula Borg, Margot Robbie, Mayling Ng, and Daniela Melchior in The Suicide Squad (2021)
    The Suicide Squad
  • Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Chris Pratt, Michael Rooker, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, and Pom Klementieff in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
    • (directed by)
  • Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
    Guardians of the Galaxy
  • Richard Gere, Kate Winslet, Halle Berry, Seann William Scott, Anna Faris, Hugh Jackman, Johnny Knoxville, Emma Stone, Chloë Grace Moretz, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse in Movie 43 (2013)
    Movie 43
    • (segment Beezel)
  • Super: Deleted Scene (2010)
    Super: Deleted Scene
  • Liv Tyler, Elliot Page, and Rainn Wilson in Super (2010)
    Super
  • PG Porn (2008)
    PG Porn
  • Sean Gunn and Jenna Haze in Humanzee! (2008)
    Humanzee!
  • Sparky & Mikaela (2008)
    Sparky & Mikaela
  • Slither: Gag Reel (2006)
    Slither: Gag Reel
  • Slither: Extended Scenes (2006)
    Slither: Extended Scenes
  • Slither: Deleted Scenes (2006)
    Slither: Deleted Scenes
  • Slither (2006)
    Slither
  • In-development projects at IMDbPro

Videos20

Why John Cena's Peacemaker Gets 'The Suicide Squad' Spin-Off
Clip 1:29
Why John Cena's Peacemaker Gets 'The Suicide Squad' Spin-Off
'The Suicide Squad' Reveals Why Ratcatcher 2 Has the Best Superpower
Clip 4:19
'The Suicide Squad' Reveals Why Ratcatcher 2 Has the Best Superpower
A Guide to the Films of James Gunn
Clip 1:35
A Guide to the Films of James Gunn
Is the DCEU's Future Rated R?
Clip 4:02
Is the DCEU's Future Rated R?
Does 'Birds of Prey' Reveal Batman & Catwoman's Kid?
Clip 3:32
Does 'Birds of Prey' Reveal Batman & Catwoman's Kid?
What Marvel Might Reveal at Comic-Con
Clip 3:15
What Marvel Might Reveal at Comic-Con
DC Bets It All on Wisecracks
Clip 3:32
DC Bets It All on Wisecracks
'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3' Director Selects
Clip 4:05
'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3' Director Selects
What 'The Eternals' Changes for Marvel
Clip 2:55
What 'The Eternals' Changes for Marvel
Episode: Guardians of the Galaxy
Clip 8:44
Episode: Guardians of the Galaxy
Trailer
Trailer 2:45
Trailer
Official "Rain" Trailer
Trailer 2:25
Official "Rain" Trailer

Personal details

Edit
  • Official sites
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • August 5, 1966
    • St. Louis, Missouri, USA
    • Jennifer HollandSeptember 30, 2022 - present
    • (Sibling)
  • Other works
    "Everything I Know about Filmmaking I Learned from The Toxic Avenger" -- Book, Putnam/Penguin, 1998
  • Publicity listings
    • 2 Print Biographies
    • 9 Interviews
    • 24 Articles
    • 2 Magazine Cover Photos

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Gunn was the first person in cinema history to write back-to-back #1 for the weekend box office hits, with Dawn of the Dead (2004) on 19 March 2004 and Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004) one week later.
  • Quotes
    Money doesn't buy happiness, but it does buy happier.
    • Heavy use of tongue-in-cheek dialogue.

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