Why James Gunn Should Direct Great Guardians of the Galaxy

With every insider source, industry bigwig and nerdy blog suggesting that James Gunn is in the lasergun-blasting sights to direct Marvel Studio's next mega-movie franchise 'Guardians of the Galaxy', it's a fair presumption that many of you are questioning who he even is.

Ignore the erroneous and credibility-evaporating double whammy on his cinematic CV though (Scooby-Doo and - zoinks! - Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed), and there are more than enough reasons to start getting excited.

Remember - Kenneth Branagh, Jon Favreau and even Joss Whedon were controversial choices when they were picked. And look how nerdgasmically well they turned out.

For a film that could well prove the edgiest, weirdest and most fun Marvel movie adventure yet, we can't think of anyone better…..

Fanboys Understand Fanboys

The Guardians of the Galaxy have faced Blackbolt, the Phalanx, Blastaar and even Thanos (the purple scrotum-chinned one from The Avengers post-credits cameo), but their biggest challenge will be winning over the popcorn-munching masses.

So rather than spend time focusing on broadening their appeal, choosing a fanboy who's edged into the mainstream to lead the charge could cover all the bases.

Slither and Dawn of the Dead (which he directed and wrote respectively) tick both 'black comedy' and 'fantastical horror' boxes, Tromeo and Juliet and Lollipop Chainsaw show he knows a thing or two about subject matter that's weirdly, wonderfully nuts, and The Specials and Super prove his affection for (and ability to subtly mock) the superhero/comic genre.

Add to that the fact that he's long-time friends with Marvel uber-mascot Joss Whedon (one of Gunn's first ever jobs was co-writing a TV pilot for Whedon), and a long running, personal love affair with comic books, and it's fair to say that he's one of the few directors working today who can truly 'get' a tale involving psychic pooches, monosyllabic talking trees, killer anthropomorphic raccoons, and space-spanning tales of life, death and everything in between.

He'll Assemble the Right Cast

With The Avengers now sitting proudly above every Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Transformers and Pirates of the Caribbean as the third biggest movie ever made, Marvel's in the position to choose a cast of their dreams.

But the Guardians of the Galaxy have never been a team comprised of flashy A-Listers - their inherent appeal comes from the fact that while they may have universe-imploding powers, even a fraction of the die-hardiest comics fans could name them all without a quick flick through their Marvel Encyclopedia.

Seeing a Jolie/Pitt/Depp amidst the line-up would not only be distracting, it'd miss the whole point of the team (though we wouldn't mind seeing any of these picks in the Rocket Raccoon role).

Thankfully, Gunn has experience assembling indie stars with just the level of star power to entertain the fanboys and dazzle the newbies. From Ellen Page, Kevin Bacon, and Rainn Wilson in Super, to Elizabeth Banks and Nathan Fillion in Slither, Gunn's proven he knows how to straddle that line.

And while we know Nathan Fillion gets his name thrown into the fanboy hat at every new movie announcement (*internal monologue override* - BECAUSE HE'S AWESOME), we genuinely can't think of anyone better for Star-Lord - the sarcastic, witty and eternally out-of-his-depth everyman who's the heart of the team.

Throw in prior form with Gunn in Slither and Super, and the aforementioned relationship with Fillion-manwife Joss Whedon, and this is one time where we're actively hoping for a bit of nerdy nepotism.

He Has Prior With Genre Smorgasbords

Not since the Rom-Zom-Com has a movie so potentially screwed with Netflix's admin department. Part sci-fi, part space-opera, part-drama, part-horror and part-comedy, the latest Guardians of the Galaxy comic incarnation is a masterclass in deftly balanced storytelling - and the film looks to be following suit.

The concept art shows a version of the modern intergalactic gang ready to rock, and one guaranteed to hit some kaleidoscopic story beats. There's Drax the Destroyer (a very serious and ruthlessly vicious warrior), Groot (an  inadvertently comedic tree giant), Gamora ('as deadly as she is sexy' alien killer), Rocket Raccoon (Han Solo meets an Ewok by way of an enormous spacegun), and Star-Lord (a heroic albeit flawed, superpower-imbued human).

Not only will the right director have to juggle all those wildly differing personality types and group dynamics, but they'll have to introduce Marvel's entire galactic universe, along with a whole cast of practically unknown characters - and keep it relatable to audiences throughout.

Gunn seems perfect, having played with hyper-violence, black comedy and satirical superheroing in Super, and out-of-this-world ridiculousness and surprisingly affecting character drama in Slither and Dawn of the Dead.

He'll Take (Batsh*t-crazy) Risks

Whether you're a fan of his work or not, it's hard to deny Gunn is one to put his balls on the line in the name of a creative punt.

While many loved Super for its mad-as-a-bag-of-cats protagonist, and po-faced poke at Hollywood's genre darling, there were just as many who weren't too keen on a superhero flick boasting a mentally ill hero who brains perps into comas with a pipe wrench, or a sexually deranged sidekick who rapes her costumed mentor.

It's also a brave (some would say insane) man who steps up to remake one of the most beloved, iconic horror movies of all time, and while 2004's Dawn of the Dead wasn't perfect, it was far, far better than any could have expected.

And Lollipop Chainsaw? We can't see Shigeru Miyamoto following up his 252nd Mario with a game about a zombie-murdering, chainsaw-wielding, erotically suggestive cheerleader anytime soon.

While the quality and success of his work has been variable, there's been one constant - an unfailing drive to embrace nutso, creative risks in their gloriously deranged entirety.

And when you're talking about one of Marvel's most surreal teams ever, you need someone who's as uncompromising as they are a little crazy.

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James Gunn Chosen to Direct Guardians of the Galaxy

Marvel has reportedly selected Super's James Gunn to direct Guardians of the Galaxy.

The Hollywood Reporter claims Gunn is the only filmmaker Marvel is now talking to about directing the sci-fi team flick slated for release August 1, 2014. THR says no deal is set yet with Gunn.

Other contenders are said to have included Bring It On's Peyton Reed (who was once attached to direct Fantastic Four way back when) and Half Nelson's Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden.

"Marvel is said to like Gunn's sensibility and his ability to mix comedy elements with action and horror, a quality he shares with The Avengers director Joss Whedon," according to THR.

Gunn also wrote and directed Slither. As a screenwriter his credits includes the superhero comedy The Specials (in which he also acted), as well as Zack Snyder's Dawn of the Dead, Tromeo and Juliet, Scooby Doo, and Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed.

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New Skyfall Posters

A series of international character one-sheets have been revealed for the upcoming James Bond movie Skyfall. Check 'em out:

Skyfall opens in the UK on October 26 and stateside November 9. It hits Australia on November 22.

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Gambit #1 Review

Remy LeBeau is back in action in a new ongoing solo series, much to the delight (or, in some cases, disdain) of many fans. Gambit #1 by James Asmus and Clay Mann aims to return the character to his thieving roots, which results in what is essentially a superhero heist comic. It’s a lot of fun, but convenient plot points , a lack of convincing motivation, and lackluster art production hold this debut back from being all that it could be.

Asmus frames this issue with Gambit’s sometimes excessive narration, which does little to offer up much insight on his character for newcomers. Instead, the narration serves the purpose of exposition, leaving a character that should be undeniably charming with his words falling flat. Thankfully, Remy’s dialogue doesn’t suffer from the same problem, and his interactions with the other characters – romantic interests and enemies alike – are bouncy enough to keep this book moving along at an enjoyable pace. It was strange, however, that Gambit’s typical dialect and slang only begins to appear about midway through the issue.

While the dialogue is mostly solid, Gambit’s motivation for returning to a life of heists is rather thin. Perhaps there will be more revealed in issues to come, but at this point, the only true motivation for Gambit’s actions in this issue – crashing a fundraiser held by a mutant-hating socialite – is apparent boredom and a desire for thrills. Even though mutant-prejudice is present in the issue, it’s importance is merely inferred instead of being used as a primary motivating factor for the character, giving his plight less weight to the reader. Additionally, the methods in which Gambit gains access to the target of his heist is rather convenient. Basically, the aforementioned socialite has a bizarre and complicated name, which Remy purposefully mispronounces when speaking to him in order to tape the man repeating it, later using the recording in a voice authentication system.

The other major drawback of this issue falls in the lap of the art team. Mann’s layouts are generally impressive with his storytelling succinct and creative. However, the pencil thin inks of Seth Mann suggests an attempt at a photorealistic style of art, which isn’t corroborated by the colors of Rachelle Rosenberg. She gives the book an almost watercolor-esque feel for a majority of the foregrounds, but all of the styles just culminate in a look that bleeds together and becomes muddied. Individually, the artists deliver some appealing work, but when it all comes together it just doesn’t click. That said, there are select wide shots and extreme close-ups that work incredibly well.

Though I’m not typically a huge Gambit fan, last week’s Hawkeye #1 proved once again that any character can anchor a book for any kind of reader as long as the writing is solid and the storytelling is sound. Sadly, Gambit #1 is a fundamentally flawed book that doesn’t live up to its concept. Hopefully, things can turn around in future issues with more cohesive art and consistent characterization.

Joey is IGN's Comics Editor and a comic book creator himself. Follow Joey on Twitter, or find him on IGN. He loves superhero pets so hard.

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Bond Skyfall Trailer 2 Hits

The new trailer for Skyfall has hit the net, alongside a couple of brand-new stills from the latest James Bond picture.

Beware of spoilers from the trailer ahead…

It kicks off with M apparently writing Bond’s obituary, before being berated by Ralph Fiennes’ Gareth Mallory for losing a drive that contains the identity of every of every agent embedded in terrorist organizations across the globe.

Bond then makes a miraculous return from the grave before becoming embroiled in a series of spectacular action set-pieces, including one atop a train.

We are also introduced to the new Q – played by Ben Whishaw – who issues Bond with his iconic weapon of choice, the Walter PPK.

And we get our first glimpse at a very blonde Javier Bardem as the film’s villain Silva, whose plan seems to be… well, you’ll just have to watch the trailer below!

Chris Tilly is the Entertainment Editor for IGN and is a big fan of blonde Bardem. His idle chat can be found on both Twitter and MyIGN.

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