Director James Gunn has defended his casting process after online critics blasted his habit as “favoritism.”
Fresh off the release of his latest movie – and his last collaboration with Marvel – Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 (2023), Gunn is currently riding a wave of online praise that’s been scarce for recent installments of the MCU.
To date, Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 has racked up an impressive 81% critics score and 95% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. It also ranks as the highest-rated Marvel movie on film ratings app Letterboxd.
But fans are almost overwhelmingly satisfied with the writer and director’s send-off for Star-Lord, Rocket, Gamora, and co., some critics have called out the film for continuing Gunn’s habit of casting his friends, family, and former collaborators.
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 features a few of Gunn’s regulars, including his brother Sean Gunn, who’s appeared as Kraglin (and provided motion capture for Rocket) in all three installments of the franchise.
Other offenders include Sylvester Stallone, who also appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 (2017) and The Suicide Squad (2021), and Nathan Fillion, who worked with Gunn on Slither (2006) and Super (2010). Gunn’s own wife, Jennifer Holland, also appeared in the film.
After a Twitter user defended Gunn’s habit – comparing it to a similar practice by Adam Sandler that they believe “makes his films feel like their own universe” – the director jumped in to explain why he prefers this casting process.
“Preston Sturges, Clint Eastwood, Scorsese, Robert Altman, Tarantino, so, so many more,” Gunn wrote, listing other directors who do the same thing. “We work with the same actors because we know how they work, how they tick, we develop a shorthand.”
Preston Sturges, Clint Eastwood, Scorsese, Robert Altman, Tarantino, so, so many more – we work with the same actors because we know how they work, how they tick, we develop a shorthand. We know they're reliable, good people. Same way I work with the same production designer,…
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) May 8, 2023
The practice isn’t limited to actors. Gunn added that he also likes to work with familiar production designers, costume designers, directors of photography, and assistant directors for the same reason.
While there’s a valid argument that this approach can limit diversity in casting, Gunn has also included new actors in his projects. For example, Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) introduced Chris Pratt as the lead, taking the actor’s career to a whole new level.
Regardless of public opinion, it seems like Gunn is sticking to his, well, guns for the casting process of the upcoming Superman: Legacy (2025), which he has confirmed will feature at least one Guardians of the Galaxy star.