“In a way, metafiction breaks down the story and makes it less real. But in another respect, by that very breaking down, it actually makes things feel more real than they would to begin with.”

American filmmaker and former studio executive

James Francis Gunn Jr. is an American filmmaker and former studio executive, known for writing and directing films in comedy, horror, and superhero genres. He served as co-chairman and co-chief executive officer of DC Studios with Peter Safran from October 2022 to November 2026. His work is often marked by unusual storytelling, blunt humor, action, and emotional depth. He is especially associated with character-driven stories that bring attention to outsider or lesser-known figures, with themes of humanity, family, belonging, and redemption. He has received three Saturn Awards, an Emmy Award, and a Critics Choice Award, and was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award.