Hollywood insiders are reporting that Marvel Studios wants James Gunn, who demonstrated the ability to mix humor and horror in the highly underrated film Slither, and then melded humor and action in Super, the superhero parody starring Rann Wilson, to direct Guardians of the Galaxy.  Guardians, which is first original title in Marvel’s second wave of films that also includes Iron Man 3, Captain America 2, Thor 2, and Avengers 2, is clearly a priority for Marvel Studios, which recently tapped hot writer Chris McCoy to write the Guardians screenplay (see "Marvel Grabs Hot Screenwriter for 'Guardians'").

 

According to The Hollywood Reporter, it is Gunn’s ability to mix humor with genre action that makes him the ideal candidate to direct Guardians, which will feature a diverse cast including Drax the Destroyer, the giant-tree man Groot, the intergalactic vigilante Star-Lord, Gamora, a deadly assassin saved by Thanos who has turned against him, and Rocket Raccoon, a firepower-crazed genetically-engineered weapons maven.

 

Gunn’s ability to blend humor into his genre pieces has been compared to Joss Whedon’s approach, and it appears likely that Whedon, who recently signed a big deal with Marvel that provides him with at least some measure of influence at the studio, was behind the move to select Gunn, who is a friend and kindred spirit, to direct Guardians.  Gunn, who got his start in Tinseltown writing the horror films for the schlock-meisters at Troma Studios, is also great friends with Nathan Fillion, who starred in Slither, played a key supporting role in Super, and is also a well-connected member of the Whedon-verse (and a leading candidate to portray Star-Lord in the Guardians film).