With Superman a box office hit in North America, filmmaker and DC Studios co-head James Gunn took a victory lap and received a hero’s welcome at the epicenter of geek culture, San Diego Comic-Con.
On Saturday, Gunn enjoyed a standing ovation in the 6,500 person-packed, cavernous Hall H during the panel for the HBO Max series Peacemaker, with star John Cena and moderator Josh Horowitz encouraging the crowd.
Just over an hour later, the filmmaker surprised guests at the Jim Lee & Friends panel, where he also was greeted with wild enthusiasm.
And as much as it was about him, and it was, indeed, plenty about him, Gunn also gave back as much as he received, to his Peacemaker cast, to comic book creators, and to the fans. There are few, in any, filmmakers who boost the comic medium as passionately and effervescently as Gunn does.
At Lee & Friends panel, Gunn choked up talking about his love of comics and being moved by the art and story of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow mini-series creators Tom King, Bilquis Evely and Matheus Lopes, which had just been the topic of conversation. The comic is the basis for the next movie to come from DC Studios.
“I make these kinds of movies because I respect and love what these people do so much, and I’m going to be very honest right now,” Gunn said, as his voice began to waver, “I was looking at the art that 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.”
And while Hall H got its share of thank yous, Gunn made a special effort to thank the comic book buffs who were specifically at the comic book-centric Lee panel.
“The reason I’m so happy to be here with you guys, is because this is the real fans here,” he said, which the audience loved to hear.
James Gunn surprises the crowd at Jim Lee & Friends panel, chokes up when talking about how the art and story of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow (by artist Bilquis Evely and writer Tom King) touched him so deeply. “This is the artform I grew up loving.” pic.twitter.com/dAMqADp5u0
— Borys Kit (@Borys_Kit) July 27, 2025
Like Lee, Gunn grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, with the two telling the audience a tale of how, while they did not know each other at the time, they went to see the classic Richard Donner-directed Superman on opening weekend at the same theater, and could have been at the same screening, both being influenced in their comic book dreams.
And Gunn also recounted how his father, with whom he had a difficult relationship, took him to a comic convention in Chicago in an attempt to bond with his wayward boy, and “to this day it was the greatest day of my life.”
Earlier, at the high energy and freewheeling Peacemaker panel, his actors portrayed Gunn as a leader you follow willingly into comic book battle.
Actor Frank Grillo, for example, enthused about being asked to join the Peacemaker production for its second season. “When James Gunn calls you, it’s not like, ‘Well, send me the script. It’s like, ‘You don’t have to send me anything. Just tell me when to show up’ … When the call comes in, there’s no question I’m going to do this. It’s about the captain.”
The captain was also a professional hype man who sold the crowd on his cast, particularly lead Cena.
“He has no ego whatsoever,” Gunn said the superstar wrestler-turned-thespian. “He gets very silly but, the truth is, John turns in 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 share of ribbing. Earlier in the panel, Gunn led a recurring joke (or maybe not entirely a joke) that Grillo, an intense actor who is known for his rugged role, was an “asshole” and an exception to the director’s stated “no assholes on set” policy.
“Hey, my kids are here,” Grillo said.
“They know!” was the reply.
Near the end of the panel, Gunn and the actors discussed their favorite episode. Grillo recounted how when he was with Gunn and the topic came up, Gunn named three episodes he liked best. The actor suddenly was struck by the realization that Gunn egotistically named the three episodes he himself had directed.
“Yeah, but I’m the asshole,” Grillo sniffed.