Guardians Of The Galaxy Director Loved The Boys

Prolific superhero filmmaker James Gunn has some kind words for Amazon's The Boys, the [...]

Prolific superhero filmmaker James Gunn has some kind words for Amazon's The Boys, the black-comedy deconstruction of superheroes based on the comic book series by Garth Ennis (Preacher) and Darick Robertson (Happy!). While he is best known for the (mostly) family-friendly Guardians of the Galaxy and Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 for Marvel Studios, Gunn's experience with superhero projects tends to run a little darker, from the upcoming DC adaptation The Suicide Squad, to past works like Super (which he wrote and directed) and Brightburn (which he produced). With Brightburn coming to digital today, it seems like the timing could not be better for Gunn to be diving into The Boys.

Gunn, who has found himself targeted by online provocateurs in the fairly recent past, chimed in to express his approval of the series in a thread where executive producer Seth Rogen quote-tweeted a fan saying that The Boys should use their one-star reviews -- many from religious conservatives upset at the show's depiction of religious, conservative politics -- as promotional material. The series is an adaptation of a work by Garth Ennis who, in case you hadn't noticed in the years Preacher has been airing on AMC, often comments on Christianity in his work. The Boys, which shows the world's best-known superheroes to be corrupt thugs and monsters, uses government, law enforcement, and religion similarly, essentially commenting on the way that power corrupts, regardless of what structure the power takes.

Gunn is currently deep in development on The Suicide Squad, which will film early this year for a planned release in August 2021. The film is a follow-up to -- but not explicitly a sequel or a reboot of -- David Ayer's Suicide Squad, using a mostly-different cast and set of characters. After that, he will move on to Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3. That film is currently undated and does not appear on Marvel's two-year "Phase Four" slate, but Gunn, who was briefly removed from the film after a number of controversial tweets from his past were dug up by alt-right activists, has been confirmed as returning to the Disney project.

Have you seen The Boys? How does it match up to other superhero critiques like Watchmen, Brightburn, and Hancock? Chime in below or tweet at @russburlingame to join the conversation.

3comments