James Gunn (born August 5, 1966)[1] is an American writer, filmmaker, actor, musician and cartoonist. He is the older brother of actor Sean Gunn.

Gunn started his career mainly as a screenwriter from the late 90s to the mid-2010s, writing the scripts of Tromeo and Juliet (1996), Scooby-Doo (2002), its sequel Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004) and the 2004 version of Dawn of the Dead.

He then started to act also as director, starting with Slither in 2006. He subsequently wrote and directed the web series James Gunn's PG Porn and Super (2010). His next film Guardians of the Galaxy, based on the comic of the same name and a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is planned for an August 1, 2014 release.

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Early life Edit

Gunn was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He has four brothers: Sean, an actor; Matt, an actor and political writer; Patrick, a producer; and Brian, a writer. He also has one sister. Though the surname Gunn is usually Scottish, Gunn's name is from the Irish name MacGilGunn meaning "Sons to the Servants of the God of the Dead".[2]

Gunn graduated Saint Louis University in 1992 where he earned his B.S. in Psychology.[3] He continued his graduate studies at Columbia University, where he earned his MFA in Writing Fiction.[4]

Career Edit

Gunn began his career in filmmaking with Troma Entertainment, for whom he wrote the independent film Tromeo and Juliet. After contributing to several other Troma films, Gunn wrote, produced and performed in his own superhero comedy, The Specials, directed by Craig Mazin and featuring Rob Lowe, Thomas Haden Church, Paget Brewster, Judy Greer and Jamie Kennedy.

Gunn's first major Hollywood screenplay was Scooby-Doo in 2002. In 2004, he wrote the screenplays for the remake of Dawn of the Dead and Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. With these films, Gunn became the first screenwriter to have two films top the box office in consecutive weeks.[5] That same year, he executive produced and starred in the mockumentary LolliLove, directed by and starring his then-wife Jenna Fischer. His directorial film debut was the 2006 horror-comedy Slither. Slither was included on Rotten Tomatoes list of the 50 Best Ever Reviewed Horror Movies.[6]

Gunn's next projects included the comedy short film Humanzee! which was originally intended exclusively for the Xbox Live's Horror Meets Comedy series of short comedy films by horror directors, it was replaced with Sparky and Mikaela which debuted on Xbox Live on December 31, 2008.[7][8][9] In an April 2009 interview on The Jace Hall Show, Gunn described Sparky and Mikaela as being "about a human racoon crime fighting team and they fight crime in both the forest world, among the furry animals, and in the human world".[10] Gunn also has a short form web series for Spike.com titled James Gunn's PG Porn[11] which made EW's The Must List.[12]

In 2008, James Gunn was one of the judges on the VH1 reality television show Scream Queens where 10 unknown actresses compete for a role in the film Saw VI, where he directed contestants during acting challenges.[13]

In 2009, Gunn announced he was going to write and direct Pets, a comedy about a man who is abducted by aliens who want to turn him into a household pet with Ben Stiller, Stuart Cornfeld and Jeremy Kramer producing.[14] However, by March 2009, Gunn announced, "PETS, unfortunately, is done. I'm gone. I left the project for various reasons. I hope it sees the light of day somehow, but it won't be with me attached as director."[15]

In 2010, Gunn released the film Super, a dark comedy and superhero satire starring Rainn Wilson and Ellen Page.

Outside of filmmaking and television, Gunn also penned a novel in 2000, The Toy Collector, and with Troma's President Lloyd Kaufman co-wrote All I Need to Know about Filmmaking I Learned from the Toxic Avenger, about his experiences with Kaufman while working at Troma. As a musician, Gunn released one album with his band, The Icons, Mom, We Like It Here on Earth.[16] He has written music for the films The Low Life, as well as for Scooby-Doo and Scooby-Doo 2.

He also wrote the story for Grasshopper Manufacture's video game Lollipop Chainsaw.[17]

Gunn co-wrote and directed the Marvel Studios adaptation of Guardians of the Galaxy which will be released on August 1, 2014.[18] His brother, Sean Gunn will have an "integral part" in the film.

Personal life Edit

He married Emmy-award nominated actress Jenna Fischer on October 7, 2000, but after seven years of marriage Gunn and Fischer announced their separation in a joint statement on September 5, 2007.[19] Fischer and Gunn divorced less than a year later.[20] Gunn has since been romantically involved with Kayo Dot violinist Mia Matsumiya[21] and model Melissa Stetten.[22]

Filmography Edit

Bibliography Edit

Year Title Notes 1998 All I Need to Know about Filmmaking I Learned from the Toxic Avenger with Lloyd Kaufman 2000 The Toy Collector 2003 Make Your Own Damn Movie: Secrets of a Renegade Director Introduction only

Awards and nominations Edit