To understand James Gunn, the director of “Superman,” and the current co-chairman and CEO of DC Studios, is to understand where he comes from, cinematically. Everything he’s done in his career can be seen in his work. No matter how big the budgets get or iconic the characters, it is still imbued with his sensibility and the DNA of the environment in which he started making movies.

So here’s a look at Gunn’s career from B movies to blockbusters, and where to stream everything, in order to have a macro look at where he’s come from, and how that informs his work going forward.

Gunn got his start at the production company Troma Entertainment, which made low-budget splatter B movies and exploitation films, under the guidance of Lloyd Kaufman. Gunn’s first screenwriting credit was on the 1996 “Tromeo and Juliet,” a punk rock blackly comic take on the Shakespeare play, which Kaufman directed (Gunn was the associate director). Stream it on Kanopy, Tubi, Shudder, Peacock or rent it elsewhere.

After his time at Troma, Gunn worked as a screenwriter, writing the screenplays for the live-action “Scooby-Doo” (2002) and “Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed” (2004), both on Tubi or available for rent. He also wrote the screenplay for the audacious 2004 remake of “Dawn of the Dead,” directed by Zack Snyder, who would go on to direct many Batman and Superman films in the DC Extended Universe, before Gunn took over with his new “Superman.” “Dawn of the Dead” is a stylish, poppy, ultra-fun and ultra-violent take on the zombie classic, helping to usher in the new era of zombie movies alongside “28 Days Later” and “Shaun of the Dead.” Stream “Dawn of the Dead” on Netflix or rent it elsewhere.

Gunn made his directorial debut in 2006 with the whipsmart monster movie “Slither,” starring Nathan Fillion and Elizabeth Banks, which is available to rent on iTunes and Amazon, and is absolutely worth the watch. While always having an interest in superheroes (see the unstreamable “The Specials” from 2000), his sophomore directorial effort, “Super” (2010) starring Rainn Wilson, Elliot Page, Liv Tyler and Kevin Bacon, was a satire of the notion, starring Wilson as a regular man who takes on a superhero persona, the Crimson Bolt. Stream it on the Roku Channel or rent it elsewhere.

In 2014, Gunn entered the Marvel Cinematic Universe with his much beloved “The Guardians of the Galaxy,” about a ragtag group of heroes with a lot of heart and humor and a healthy appreciation for ‘70s rock. He maintained that ethos through "Vol. 2" (2017) and "Vol. 3" (2023), even as he made his way to that other comics universe, DC. All of the "Guardians" movies are streaming on Disney+ or available for rent.

In 2021, Gunn dipped into the DC universe with his wild and wacky “The Suicide Squad,” offering up a monster movie with antiheroes that managed cutting political commentary as well. He really can do it all. Stream “The Suicide Squad” on Max, or rent it elsewhere.

Now you’re all caught up on the work of James Gunn, just in time for his “Superman,” in theaters this weekend.

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