Make no mistake: James Gunn loves to cast his friends and past collaborators in his movies. Aside from Sean Gunn, actors Michael Rooker, Nathan Fillion, Daniela Melchior, Pom Klementieff, and Gunn’s wife, Jennifer Holland, all appeared in both “Guardians of the Galaxy” trilogy and “The Suicide Squad.” Fillion’s Guy Gardner is among those confirmed in the upcoming live-action DC Universe. However, by his definition, Gunn does not commit “cameo porn.” Yes, he casts his friends and family in roles, but the cameos have never been purposeless beyond mere fan service.
Gunn even noted that it is okay to have Easter eggs or advance looks at future projects, but not if cramming them into a movie they don’t belong in. “I don’t mind actual cameos – if it’s a glimpse or a moment, an Easter egg,” Gunn wrote on Threads. “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.” As an example of James Gunn’s small cameos, Sean Gunn’s appearance as Calendar Man in “The Suicide Squad” doesn’t have significant implications for the story but enhances it by emphasizing the eclectic pool of criminals Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) chooses from when assembling the Suicide Squad. This is also a nod at a classic DC character.
Is Gunn guilty of nepotism? Sure. But the quality of his films never falters due to his casting choices. Is he guilty of “cameo porn”? Absolutely not.
