26 Years Later, James Gunn’s First Superhero Movie Is Aging Like Fine Wine

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Before 1999, James Gunn wasn’t well-known. His music career had fizzled out in the mid-90s, and he hadn’t achieved much success beyond co-writing a book about filmmaking with Lloyd Kaufman and writing the script for Troma’s Tromeo and Juliet. However, his brother, Sean, was friends with actor Jamie Kennedy, who was popular after starring in Scream. Sean passed James’ script, The Specials, to Kennedy, which ultimately launched James’ career.

This comedy film centers on a group of not-quite-A-list superheroes. Despite its small budget, the script was strong enough to attract established actors like Rob Lowe and Thomas Hayden Church. They were joined by Kennedy, the Gunn brothers, and rising stars Judy Greer and Paget Brewster. The movie also marked the directorial debut of Craig Mazin, who was primarily known as a comedy writer at the time.

Despite a rocky production filled with disagreements, this team managed to create a superhero comedy for around a million dollars. Unfortunately, the movie received poor reviews and earned only $13,276 in theaters. Without a combination of skill and good fortune, The Specials would likely have been lost to time. Instead, it’s now seen as an early indicator of the career trajectory of director James Gunn.

The Specials Has All The Hallmarks Of A James Gunn Movie

As a huge film fan, I was really intrigued by The Specials. While Craig Mazin, the guy behind Chernobyl and The Last of Us, directed it, it feels like a James Gunn movie through and through. You can just tell how much he loves this kind of stuff. It’s interesting because it doesn’t rely on big action sequences – honestly, the budget was pretty tight! – but the story itself reminded me of those classic Justice League runs from Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis, that really focused on character dynamics.

The story revolves around the relationships within a superhero team over a single day, as they eagerly anticipate the release of their action figures. However, their biggest challenge isn’t a villain – it’s themselves. The team leader, The Strobe, is self-absorbed, unaware that his wife is having an affair with another teammate, The Weevil. At the same time, Amok, a former bad guy, is trying to prove he’s changed, and Minute Man, who isn’t actually a Revolutionary War soldier despite his name, is hoping to win over the team’s newest member, Nightbird.

Let me tell you about this superhero team I stumbled upon. It’s… unique. There’s U.S. Bill, who honestly doesn’t seem the sharpest tool in the shed and is super secretive about who he is. Then you’ve got Mr. Smart, who constantly reminds everyone he’s the smartest person in the room. And Deadly Girl? She actually cares about the team, but she’d never admit it. They operate out of a regular suburban house, and honestly, everyone in the superhero community pretty much makes fun of them. They’re a total joke, but I can’t help but root for them!

As a huge movie fan, I have to say James Gunn really shines in The Specials. He’s known for his humor, and it’s definitely there, but what really got to me was how he could seamlessly switch gears into these surprisingly touching scenes. There’s this one bit with U.S. Bill and his mom that went from making me tear up to laughing out loud in seconds – seriously, it was that fast! And Paget Brewster as Ms. Indestructible? Her wedding video scene is absolutely phenomenal and deserves an award. Oh, and be warned: there’s a dance sequence with a song you’ve probably never heard before, but I guarantee it’ll be stuck in your head for days! Looking back, this movie makes it so clear Gunn was always meant to be a top-tier superhero director.

The Specials
Actor Hero Powers
Thomas Hayden Church The Strobe Shoots lasers from his arms.
Paget Brewster Ms. Indestructible Indestructible skin, but she can suffer eye injuries.
Rob Lowe The Weevil Proportional abilities of a weevil. Charasmatic.
Jordan Ladd Nightbird Sensitive hearing, birds like her more than other humans, can lay eggs.
James Gunn Minute Man Can shrink to five inches.
Deadly Girl Judy Greer Teleportation via the world of the dead, able to summon demons.
Amok Jamie Kennedy Antimatter manipulation.
Power Chick Kelly Coffield Able to change her body into any material she touches.
Orphan Alien Sean Gunn Shapeshifting alien.
U.S. BIll Mike Schwartz Super strength.
Mr. Smart Jim Zulevic Enhanced intelligence
Eight John Doe, Brian Gunn, Lauren Cohn, Chuti Tiu, Abdul Salaam El Razzac, Tom Dorfmeister, Johann Stauf, and Samantha Cannon Eight separate bodies that share one mind

The Specials Gave James Gunn His Career, But Not Because Of The Movie Itself

James Gunn says the script for The Specials – not the finished film – was crucial in launching his career. He’s mentioned, particularly in a 2005 discussion with Paget Brewster, that the script led to other opportunities, like a never-produced Spy vs. Spy movie, a TV pilot for Joss Whedon, and, significantly, Scooby-Doo. While grateful for those opportunities, Gunn has admitted he has complicated feelings about the The Specials movie itself.

He shared stories about disagreements with Craig Mazin during filming, but said they’ve since resolved those issues. He also recounted an incident where Jamie Kennedy threw a chair at him, and noted that Kennedy and Mazin often clashed. Mazin has previously mentioned the challenges of making the movie, explaining that budget and time constraints prevented them from realizing their original vision for it.

Even after almost thirty years, the movie still holds up surprisingly well. While some jokes don’t quite land, and a few haven’t aged gracefully (though it’s much better in that regard than many comedies from the early 2000s), the funny parts are genuinely hilarious. A lot of this is thanks to the fantastic cast – every actor delivers a strong performance. It’s unlikely to be anyone’s favorite superhero film, but The Specials deserves to be remembered as an important part of the genre’s history.

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2026-06-01 03:11