The announcement of James Gunn as the writer and director of The Suicide Squad was met with praise due to all of the great movies that he's already made. While he’s directed a handful of movies, Gunn has actually served as writer and producer in numerous works as well.
Some of them are especially notable because The Suicide Squad will likely take a lot of inspiration from elements that Gunn has already incorporated into his work. These films are from a wide number of genres that also showcase Gunn’s talent as a writer, producer, director, and even as an actor, and it's a near guarantee that these prior projects will influence The Suicide Squad.
Brightburn (2019)
A spaceship crashes in a small town containing an alien child. After adopting him as their own, the child’s parents realize over the years that he has powers. However, the boy rejects any sort of guidance and decides to use his powers for evil.
This movie was produced by James Gunn, and his trademark dark humor is hard to miss in it. This is the kind of attitude and thematic style that can be expected for The Suicide Squad. Brightburn is actually one idea regarding what an evil Superman would be like, and fans of dark superhero thrillers will get a kick out of it.
Scooby-Doo (2002)
Mystery Inc. members have had enough of each other and go their separate ways. Years later, they’re brought together on Spooky Island to solve a mystery, but the team realizes that this was all a plan by a former foe.
Scooby-Doo’s story was devised by James Gunn and Craig Titley, with Gunn also writing the screenplay. He opted for this version of the gang to be older and goofier, with the movie’s dialogue containing numerous adult references. It’s a bizarre but still enjoyable movie, and features the kind of comedy The Suicide Squad will definitely include.
Guardians Of The Galaxy (2014)
In deep space, the Titan Thanos sends his daughter Gamora to aid Ronan the Accuser to procure the Power Orb for him. However, the rogue Star-Lord, thieves Groot and Rocket, and warrior Drax all interfere with these plans. When saving the galaxy becomes essential, this gang of misfits band together to stop Ronan once and for all.
Guardians of the Galaxy truly put James Gunn on the map. Suicide Squad has been compared to the DCEU’s attempt at replicating this movie’s formula, so it’s worth checking out how Gunn got incredible performances from his actors to deliver this hit. The movie might just be the template that The Suicide Squad will follow.
The Belko Experiment (2017)
A normal day at work at Belko industries turns into a battle royale to the death when it’s announced that the employees need to kill each other until only one remains. As people keep dying, the survivors attempt to fight for their lives.
Produced alongside Peter Safran and written exclusively by James Gunn, The Belko Experiment is a bizarre but heart-thumping entry in the horror-thriller genre. It’s not without its fair share of black comedy, adding an edge to the proceedings. Fans should give this a watch to see just how Gunn places the twists and turns of the story.
Slither (2006)
An extraterrestrial parasite infects a man, who subsequently begins to infect others and prepares to breed more of the infecting alien’s kind. With the aliens increasing in numbers, certain characters have no choice but to rise to the occasion and battle for their lives.
Slither is a genre-bending movie that has elements of a B-film, keeping things deliberately bizarre and appearing as if it’s a low-budget effort. It can be a tough watch due to the gore involved, but it does present all of James Gunn’s potential to deliver the thrills.
Super (2010)
Frank Darbo is a loser who has nothing to offer, but ends up becoming a superhero. Of course, the fact that he has no powers does cause a snag, as Darbo’s superhero career as the Crimson Bolt is interrupted by one fumble after another.
A parody of the superhero genre, Super is just the kind of movie The Suicide Squad will be, albeit on a smaller scale. The main appeal lies in the multitude of jokes and gags to be found here, with the superhero elements all dialed down to ridiculous depths.
Tromeo And Juliet (1997)
Tromeo and Juliet fall in love by going against the wishes of their families. Despite their different backgrounds and the bizarre circumstances that stand in their way, the lovers try to figure out how to be together as a married couple.
While the premise sounds the same as the classic version, the actual movie, written by James Gunn, is certainly out there in terms of what’s seen onscreen. The backgrounds of the characters are changed, along with their personalities and the events that follow. The movie is a good example of how Gunn looks to change the norm when it comes to his screenplays.
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
Months after becoming a dysfunctional family, the Guardians are contacted by Star-Lord’s father. While everything seems fine on Ego's planet at first, they quickly find out that Ego has more nefarious plans in store for Star-Lord.
James Gunn penned some quotable material for the Guardians this time around, with Vol. 2’s dialogue certainly being memorable. It’s more heartfelt than the first one, proving Gunn has a heartwarming sentiment in mind along with the usual antics he has his characters do.
Dawn Of The Dead (2004)
The world gets turned upside down when a zombie outbreak begins, forcing people from a small town to take refuge in a shopping mall. With no one knowing what to expect, it takes significant grit and sacrifice to survive this sudden zombie apocalypse.
Written by James Gunn, the screenplay changes have led to many comparing the remake with the original. Dawn of the Dead takes a few twists and turns in the story to keep viewers guessing, subverting a few horror movie tropes along the way. It's the kind of seesaw script that The Suicide Squad is expected to have as well.
LolliLove (2004)
A Californian couple suddenly decides to make a difference, which motivates them to help out homeless people by handing out lollipops with cheery words on the wrappers. Soon enough, the couple realizes that being generous isn’t all that easy.
Rather than this being the brainchild of James Gunn (although he has a writer’s credit), LolliLove actually stars him in the leading role. It’s a mockumentary that takes a satirical approach at people who try to be “good” but only end up feeding their own egos. The movie is also an interesting look at the acting talents of Gunn himself.