James Gunn first cut his teeth working at Troma before penning both Scooby Doo live-action movies and the Dawn Of The Dead remake. He then directed the cult hit Slither and the indie vigilante comedy Super. Now, Marvel Studios is turning to the director for their next big franchise in the making, Guardians of the Galaxy.

So, it seems, Rocket Raccoon may be in capable hands after all. Maybe. James Gunn can sometimes be an acquired taste. But he's good friends with Joss Whedon and the Firefly crew, so this is really great news for someone out there, somewhere.

At the moment, Gunn is Marvel's top choice for this sci-fi adventure, which finds a group of intergalactic outlaws and a U.S. pilot trying to make off with an undisclosed object that the entire universe seems to want. The studio is said to love James Gunn's sensibility, and his keen ability to mix action, horror, and comedy. To get a sense of his superhero side, you might want to seek out 2001's The Specials, which follows the disfunctionality of a Justice League type group of do-gooders.

James Gunn isn't the only name Marvel has sought out, though. If negotiations aren't reached, and a deal isn't signed, the studio is also looking at Peyton Reed, best known for the cheerleading comedy Bring It On, and the team of Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden, who co-directed the critically acclaimed Half Nelson.

The Hollywood Reporter, who broke this news, offers these details about the heroes who make up Guardians of the Galaxy.

"The movie's lineup will include Drax the Destroyer, a human resurrected as a green warrior with the sole purpose of killing Thanos (the villain in the Avengers final-scene tease); Groot, a giant tree-man; Star-Lord, a gun-toting half-human/half-alien intergalactic vigilante; Rocket Raccoon, a genetically engineered animal with a knack for guns and explosives; and Gamora, the last survivor of her species who was saved by Thanos to be his assassin but now battles him."

It still has never been confirmed or denied if this latest Marvel Studios movie will be live-action or CGI animation. We'll let you know as soon as James Gunn is confirmed.