James Gunn Says Meaningless Cameos Are Hurting Superhero Movies
Outside of perhaps Kevin Feige, there may not be anyone more qualified to talk about the state of superhero movies than James Gunn.
The man who brought The Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy to life is now the co-head of DC Studios, where he will try to reinvent the comic book giant’s struggling cinematic universe.
While Gunn is no stranger to giving his opinion on topics such as “superhero fatigue” or what went wrong with the MCU, in a recent post on Threads, he explained one recent trend that he believes is hurting the genre.
Gunn Blasts “Meaningless Cameos”
For those who don’t know, Gunn’s DC Universe will kick off with Superman: Legacy. In response to a fan’s question about the cast size, Gunn explained that he wants to create a universe, not just throw characters together.
“The whole point was it’s NOT a large film — I mean, not in terms of cast,” he wrote. “It’s normal for single protagonist films to have other characters — much more unusual for them not to.”
As seen in the latest Marvel films, superhero cameos have become commonplace in recent years. However, Gunn believes that such cameos, devoid of any deeper meaning, are hurting films.
“I call that ‘Cameo Porn’ and it has been one of the worst elements of recent superhero films,” he said. “If a character is in film, they have to have a reason to be there story-wise,” he explained.
“I don’t mind actual cameos — if it’s a glimpse or a moment, an Easter egg. What bothers me is when they mangle an elegant story by shoehorning characters in — they aren’t there because the story calls for it, but for some other reason.”
Filmmakers Should Listen
While Gunn is undoubtedly no stranger to Easter eggs (Howard the Duck, I’m looking at you), filmmakers would be wise to heed his advice.
Recent Marvel films, in particular, have seemed to forgo story and worldbuilding in exchange for team-ups and cameos.
If Marvel and DC want to hold off “superhero fatigue,” they will need to reinvest in the stories and make films that people care about.