Gunn

This past week has been a big one for the Marvel Cinematic Universe as not only has Joss Whedon returned in a big role through June 2015, but Marvel Studios will be turning to the acclaimed writer/director for help in future projects. With Whedon seen as the company’s biggest hire thus far for this endeavor, it’s been interesting to see just who will be at the helm of the other installments for Phase Two of the MCU. As Edgar Wright, Alan Taylor, Shane Black and The Russo Brothers all step up to take the stage, it’s one director who’s taken the reigns of an original superhero film before that may find himself behind the cameras of Marvel’s next introductory feature.

THR reports that James Gunn is currently Marvel’s choice to direct Guardians of the Galaxy and that executives at the studio are currently speaking with Gunn. Other names are in mind for the position, but it’s said that Gunn is the frontrunner for the job and a deal is trying in the works to possibly attach him to production set for next year.

Gunn is best known for his films Slither and Super, with the latter being his last film released in a limited run last year.Super starred Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page, Liv Tyler and Kevin Bacon while dealing with a realistic superhero tale that gained some mixed reviews and controversy due to similarities of Kick-Ass, but ultimately has surfaced as a cult smash. As a writer Gunn has also penned the screenplays for both live-actionScooby Doo films, Zack Snyder’s remake of Dawn of The Dead, and most recently the video game Lollipop Chainsaw that was released in June.

While Gunn has emerged as the leader to possibly direct, the article also mentions two other possibilities in the running in the form of Bring It On‘s Peyton Reed or the directing duo of Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden. The Playlist has spoken to Fleck and Boden’s reps, however, and have said that the two are not in fact one of the options being considered. This only leaves Reed as the only other known name Marvel may be in talks with besides Gunn.

Guardians of the Galaxy was announced just last month at Comic-Con, and is currently in rewrites by Chris McCoy. Nicole Perlman wrote the first draft of the script, while Joss Whedon is expected to possibly give it a pass in order to help Marvel Studios’ projects in development and deliver his comic book knowledge. If Gunn signs on, it’s also likely that he’ll be working with McCoy to polish the script into a vision that he would like to shoot next summer. The only plot description of the film making headlines this past week has been, “a U.S. pilot who ends up in space in the middle of a universal conflict and goes on the run with futuristic ex-cons who have something everyone wants.”

Guardians of the Galaxy is currently slated for release on August 1st, 2014.