Over the years, James Gunn has become one of the biggest names in the comic book movie genre. With the last six of his projects having been from Marvel and DC, the director and writer has constantly hit us with some larger-than-life stories that at their core at deep explorations just about beings trying to find themselves. It’s a great mixture of visuals and stories and superheroes that just comes across as so personal. Guardians of The Galaxy Vol 3: James Gunn Talks about Rocket’s Emotional Journey, Says ‘I Feel Close to Him Because of His Story’.

Gunn always knows what makes characters stick out, and all of the ones he has adapted till now have these oddities to them that just boosts them in such a huge way. Picking up the D-list characters and turning them into a household name – Gunn really has built a successful career around that. So, to celebrate his 57th birthday, here are all six of his Marvel and DC projects ranked.

The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

As far as Christmas specials go, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special might have been the best we might have received in years. Focusing on Mantis’ sibling relationship with Peter Quill, it’s a heartfelt hour that did leave us wanting more, but it was just filled with such a wholesome vibe that you can’t help but fall in love with it.

Peacemaker

James Gunn’s venture into making a series, he decided to build it off on one of the breakout characters from The Suicide Squad, John Cena’s Peacemaker. The show did it have its issues where a lot of issues were solved a bit conveniently, but overall, it’s a great and hilarious time that’s lead by John Cena’s best performance till date.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2

Living up to the brilliance of the first Guardians of the Galaxy was definitely difficult, but Vol 2 is so much more emotionally resonant that it makes for a brilliant watch. It does have a weak first half and the jokes can be overbearing, but Gunn’s penchant for crafting such a deep personal story that’s all about a guy finding comfort in the family he has found will have you shedding tears.

Guardians of the Galaxy

We didn’t know who they were before the movie released, but after it, everyone knew their name. Perhaps one of Marvel’s biggest success stories, Guardians of the Galaxy is like a modern space odyssey that finds its biggest strength in its found-family aspects. Hilarious and heartfelt, the introduction to a band of misfits will never get better than this.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 sees Gunn at his most mature yet. Bringing an end to the characters he made into a household name, the film was an emotional ride that brought a fitting end to these misfits, and it couldn’t have been more perfect. It’s a film that lets its emotional beats breathe, and presents for a finale that really does feel like MCU’s best.

The Suicide Squad

While the film was not that big at the box office, The Suicide Squad still remains one of the most comic-booky films to hit the genre. A whole new team with a few returning characters from the first, the film sees the infamous Task Force X take on Starro, and it couldn’t have been more fun than this. It’s a wild ride that just keeps getting absurd and absurd with characters that are just flawed and trying to find redemption. The Suicide Squad is Gunn’s best by far. The Suicide Squad Movie Review: James Gunn’s DC Epic Is a Violent Delight (LatestLY Exclusive).

With Gunn now being in-charge of DC Studios, we can’t wait to see what he does with some of the more established characters of the future. With this, we finish off the list and wish him a very happy birthday.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 05, 2023 02:05 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).