With "Superman" soaring at the North American box office, filmmaker and DC Studios co-head James Gunn basked in his triumph and was hailed as a hero at the heart of geekdom—San Diego Comic-Con. On Saturday, Gunn received a thunderous standing ovation in Hall H, a cavernous venue packed with 6,500 eager attendees during the panel for the HBO Max series "Peacemaker." The crowd was further ignited by the presence of star John Cena and moderator Josh Horowitz.
Barely an hour later, Gunn made a surprise appearance at the Jim Lee & Friends panel, where he was met with wild enthusiasm. While the focus was undeniably on him, Gunn generously gave back to his "Peacemaker" cast, comic book creators, and the adoring fans. Few filmmakers champion the comic medium with the same fervor and effervescence as Gunn.
At the Jim Lee & Friends panel, Gunn's voice wavered as he spoke passionately about his love for comics. He was deeply moved by the art and story of the "Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow" mini-series created by Tom King, Bilquis Evely, and Matheus Lopes, which had just been the topic of discussion. This comic serves as the basis for DC Studios' upcoming movie. "I make these kinds of movies because I respect and love what these people do so much," Gunn confessed, his voice trembling. "I was looking at the art you guys did... and it touches me so deeply. It's so beautiful. This is the art form that I grew up loving. It's so wonderful what you do."
Gunn made a special effort to thank the comic book enthusiasts specifically at the Lee panel. "The reason I'm so happy to be here with you guys is because this is where the real fans are," he said, to the delight of the audience.
Sharing a heartwarming anecdote, Gunn revealed that like Lee, he grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. The two recounted how, although they didn't know each other at the time, they attended the classic Richard Donner-directed "Superman" on opening weekend at the same theater, potentially even sitting in the same screening, both inspired by their comic book dreams.
Gunn also recollected a heartwarming anecdote: his father had endeavored to strengthen their bond by taking him to a comic convention in Chicago, and "that day remains, to this very day, the most wonderful of my life."
Earlier, at the high-energy and freewheeling "Peacemaker" panel, Gunn's actors portrayed him as a charismatic leader whom they would follow willingly into comic book battles. Actor Frank Grillo, for instance, exuded enthusiasm about being asked to join the "Peacemaker" production for its second season. "When James Gunn calls you, it's not a matter of, 'Send me the script.' It's like, 'Just tell me when to show up.' When the call comes in, there's no question I'm doing it. It's all about the captain," Grillo enthused.
The captain was also a masterful hype man who extolled the virtues of his cast, particularly lead actor Cena. "He has no ego whatsoever," Gunn said of the wrestler-turned-actor. "He gets very silly, but the truth is, John delivers an amazing performance this season. I did season one and came back to do this season a couple of years later. I couldn't believe what he was capable of and how much he had grown as an actor."
Gunn also took his fair share of good-natured ribbing. Earlier in the panel, Gunn led a recurring joke—or perhaps not entirely a joke—that Grillo, an intense actor known for his rugged roles, was an "asshole" and an exception to the director's stated "no assholes on set" policy. "Hey, my kids are here," Grillo protested. "They know!" was the playful retort.
Near the end of the panel, Gunn and the actors discussed their favorite episodes. Grillo recounted how, when he was with Gunn and the topic came up, Gunn named three episodes he liked best. The actor was suddenly struck by the realization that Gunn had egotistically chosen the three episodes he himself had directed. "Yeah, but I'm the asshole," Grillo quipped.
