James Gunn
James Gunn

One rule of invention: before you can invent it, you have to imagine it.

James Gunn
James Gunn

I think that one of the things that drives me in telling stories, and art in general, is finding the beautiful in a big mass of ugly.

James Gunn
James Gunn

By isolating the issues of race, gender, sexual orientation, climate change, environment, governance, economics, catastrophe and whatever other problems the present embodies or the future may bring, science fiction can do what Dickens and Sinclair did: make real the consequences of social injustice or human folly.

James Gunn
James Gunn

I can't be told life is beautiful through a normal positive thinking book or a Hallmark movie; that language doesn't work for me.

James Gunn
James Gunn

My favorite dark comedy, which is also one of my favorite films of all time, is 'After Hours.' I've seen 'After Hours' as much as almost any film I've ever seen in my life; I've watched it dozens of times, and I still watch it once a year. I still get a thrill out of it every time I see it.

James Gunn
James Gunn

I don't think through anything I do. I just do it, and it's oftentimes landed me in huge amounts of trouble.

James Gunn
James Gunn

I think of the Avengers as The Beatles, and the Guardians are the Rolling Stones. That is really how I feel about the groups.

James Gunn
James Gunn

I would say the main thing is, don't just copy yourself, which is what a lot of sequels do. And in some cases, it works. Like James Bond movies. But James Bond is a different type of character.

James Gunn
James Gunn

I've always believed in the power of rational thinking and behavior as the savior of the world, and science fiction as a powerful medium to encourage that, which explains my signature line, 'Let's save the world through science fiction.'

James Gunn
James Gunn

Movies aren't machines. They interact with our brains.

James Gunn
James Gunn

I made 'Super' for $3 million, and that was filmed in 24 days. And that $3 million dollars went to a lot of things other than what shows up on screen. Once you get done with the unions and everything else, that's just, like, the basic cost of what you can make a movie for.

James Gunn
James Gunn

I like to be able to feel as many parts of myself while watching a movie at one time. I think that's what 'Super' is - it's funny, but it's also sad. It's very touching in certain ways, and it's also got a very dark sense of humor. So it's allowed to go anywhere.

James Gunn
James Gunn

I feel like I've kinda danced around telling the truest story I can for many years of my life. I've been a little distracted by trying to be shocking or edgy or cool or whatever, and by letting go of that and telling the truest story I can - even if it's about aliens and talking raccoons - it works.

James Gunn
James Gunn

Maybe it's the feminine side of me, but I like that AM radio pop.

James Gunn
James Gunn

I was as huge Spider-Man fan as a kid, but I really liked The Defenders a lot. I was also a big Moon Knight fan for some reason.

James Gunn
James Gunn

I love raccoons. I had a raccoon figurine collection as a kid, and I now have two movies with 'Ranger Rick' jokes in them. I love 'em. They come in my back yard all the time, and we just stare at each other like a couple of idiots.

James Gunn
James Gunn

I like the Nova Corps; I just don't like Nova that much! He's okay, you know? I just don't like that helmet!

James Gunn
James Gunn

Scooby's the greatest cartoon character ever. He isn't cute like Mickey or smart like Bugs or fearless like Woody and Buzz - he's a talking dog who's more human than I am. It's his humanity and imperfections that make him special.

James Gunn
James Gunn

The movies I like watching the most are these sort of cinema verite, handheld films where you really get gritty with people. But I also have this strange affinity for old Rock Hudson/Doris Day movies and things that sort of pop out where you see the frames, where you have these 2D animation moments and split-screens and things like that.

James Gunn
James Gunn

I would never want to take on a sequel of someone else's stuff unless I was totally reinventing it.