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Nathan Fillion and James Gunn share a fruitful collaboration that spans over a decade, through a couple of films, including DC’s The Suicide Squad. Thus, reflecting on their partnership built on mutual respect and risk-taking, Fillion noted how things changed and evolved. During the conversation, the actor highlighted Gunn’s honest feelings toward his uber-successful Guardians of the Galaxy franchise.
Working on films dating back to 2006’s Slither and 2010’s Super, Nathan Fillion recalled how their working relationship reached new heights following their involvement in the MCU. During the conversation, Fillion surprisingly noted his initial hesitation about the Guardians of the Galaxy movie and revealed how James Gunn shared similar sentiments.
After collaborating with James Gunn in multiple projects, Nathan Fillion was asked to venture into the MCU, prior to his works in DC’s The Suicide Squad. Surprisingly, Guardians of the Galaxy was the first Marvel project that Gunn wanted Fillion to participate in. However, the actor had initial skepticism about not just Gunn’s ambitious plans for the project, but also about the entire storyline adapted from the Marvel comics.
According to Nathan Fillion’s interview with The Mix, the actor revealed how he had expressed his reservations about the film with James Gunn. Fillion stated how he had immediately expressed his disdain for the Guardians comics—describing them as “dumb” and “the worst”. Surprisingly, as per the actor’s statements, even Gunn had echoed similar sentiments about the comics.
When he told me…‘Hey guys, I got Guardians of the Galaxy!’ I said, ‘I hated that comic. That was a dumb comic — that’s like the worst.’ He goes, ‘I know. I know just what to do with it. It’s going to be amazing,’
To Nathan Fillion’s surprise, James Gunn had admitted to sharing similar sentiments about the Guardians of the Galaxy comics. But then, the director had also confidently assured that he knew how to make it extraordinary. So it seems that not just Fillion, but even Gunn had initial reservations about the Guardians of the Galaxy projects; only the latter had the vision that went on to transform the film into one of Marvel’s most beloved and financially successful properties.
James Gunn’s vision for Guardians of the Galaxy proved transformative, as the 2014 installment became a massive hit, solidifying its place in Marvel’s pantheon. Meanwhile, Nathan Fillion, who voiced the role of Monstrous Inmate, harbored newfound trust in Gunn’s storytelling capabilities, which set the stage for their continued collaboration in the third installment, where Fillion played Master Karja.
The filmmaker’s talent for reviving and redefining the Guardians of the Galaxy comics led Nathan Fillion to believe in the potential of James Gunn’s take on the Marvel franchise. Later on, this even helped Fillion to leave behind his doubts and concerns about working on The Suicide Squad, as his faith in the filmmaker was well-founded. But surprisingly, despite the success of the MCU movie, it was the DC film that Gunn deemed to be his best movie.
We know what he can do with a property. We know how he can see the possibilities and the potential. So we’re giving him this incredible Suicide Squad property. We know what’s going to happen… From the horse’s mouth, James told me, ‘This is the best movie I’ve ever made,’
Indeed, James Gunn’s track record with the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise has cemented his reputation as a visionary filmmaker, turning his initial skepticism into trust and admiration. Therefore, although the film series went on to make a total of $2.48B (via The Numbers) and garnered a positive reception from fans and audiences, Gunn still hailed The Suicide Squad as his best project.
Guardians of the Galaxy films are currently available to watch on Disney+.
The Suicide Squad is currently available to watch on Max.
“}]] Nathan Fillion discussed James Gunn’s initial reservations about Guardians of the Galaxy and the director’s critical view of the Marvel comics. Read More