James Gunn, the filmmaker behind Guardians of the Galaxy and DC’s upcoming Superman, recently reflected on nearly quitting directing before Marvel hired him. In a new interview, he detailed his uncertain career path, the surprise Marvel call, and how a “talking raccoon” changed everything.
James Gunn explains how he got hired to direct Guardians of the Galaxy
In a new GQ video, titled “James Gunn Breaks Down His Most Iconic Films,” the director revealed that he was ready to quit filmmaking before Marvel approached him about Guardians of the Galaxy.
“I was really in a strange place in my career where I was a little dejected,” Gunn said, referencing the aftermath of his 2010 film Super. “I had just done a video game called Lollipop Chainsaw, and I was working on a television show, I told my agent I was gonna quit making movies.”
Gunn shared that he received the Marvel offer shortly after making that decision. “I walked in and they’re like, ‘We got this thing Guardians of the Galaxy.’ I was like, ‘Yes, I’ve heard of them,’ but I was more familiar with the original lineup.” He initially doubted the project, saying, “It sounded kind of like Bugs Bunny in the middle of The Avengers… I walked out not thinking I would ever get the gig.”
However, his perception changed during the drive home. “It came to me that if [Rocket Raccoon] was real, that Raccoon would be the saddest creature in the entire universe… that to me was the beginning of Guardians.” Rocket became the emotional center of Gunn’s trilogy. The director further added that Rocket is a character “who I’ve felt closer to than any other character I’ve ever put on film.”
Marvel also tasked Gunn with defining the Infinity Stones. “I made up the Infinity Stones in two seconds,” he admitted. The original stone in Guardians was red, but Marvel later asked him to change it to purple in post-production for continuity.
Reflecting on the trilogy, Gunn explained that Rocket’s arc, from isolation to compassion, was the trilogy’s core. “That’s why he becomes the leader of the Guardians at the end of 3,” Gunn said.
Originally reported by Anubhav Chaudhry on SuperHeroHype.
