James Gunn is currently one of the most powerful people in Hollywood. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was a monster hit, meaning he’s departed the MCU with his record of superhero blockbuster smashes intact. Now he’s solely focused on the DCU and has multiple irons in the fire, with his current priority the fascinating-sounding Superman: Legacy.
This outsized influence means we should pay attention to his tastes, as these give some great insight into what’s coming down the line. A particularly interesting nugget of information came via a recent appearance on the YouTube show ‘Inside of You’, in which he was quizzed on his favorite Marvel movies (well, the ones he himself didn’t direct). His response was certainly intriguing:
“My favorite MCU movie is Iron Man. I think it’s an incredibly great movie. But my favorite Marvel movie is probably Deadpool. Well, actually, no, my favorite Marvel movie is Into the Spider-Verse.”
It’s telling that these are the very first MCU movie that premiered 15 years ago, a Fox X-Universe movie, and a Sony Pictures Animation. These are three great movies, though the fact that there’s not a single recent MCU movie among them may indicate that, like many fans, he’s not hugely enthused with Marvel Studios’ output since Avengers: Endgame.
Perhaps we’re reading a little too much into his answer. After all, Gunn has consulted on multiple MCU movies, having given script notes on Doctor Strange and Captain Marvel, as well as making sure the Guardians of the Galaxy were properly represented in Infinity War, Endgame and Thor: Love and Thunder.
If Gunn can make the often chaotic DCU into a success to rival the MCU, he’ll have pulled off an almost impossible feat, so we can’t wait to see the first projects that come out under his leadership. Gunn has a singular and focused style, so we’re just happy that someone with creative clout is now steering the ship over at Warner Bros.