James Gunn Wins First-Ever “Fan Favorite Filmmaker” Award from IMDb [Exclusive]

James Gunn has officially joined IMDb history — with the fans to thank for it. Collider can exclusively reveal that Gunn, the director of Superman, Guardians of the Galaxy, Peacemaker, and The Suicide Squad became the first recipient of IMDb’s brand-new “Fan Favorite Filmmaker” Award, expanding the long-running STARmeter Awards to include creators behind the camera. The award, powered by IMDbPro’s MOVIEmeter data, was determined by page views from IMDb’s massive global user base — hundreds of millions of people who couldn’t get enough of Gunn’s work and wanted to know more.

“This is so cool. I’m honored by this recognition from IMDb, which celebrates the connection between storytellers and fans,” Gunn said. “This is truly an award for the passionate audience members who have supported me and my films over the years. So this belongs to them. Except I’m keeping it in my office.”

Fair enough. Gunn’s Superman is currently the most anticipated movie of 2025 according to IMDbPro’s MOVIEmeter rankings, continuing a streak of fan enthusiasm that also placed The Suicide Squad as the second most popular movie of 2021 on the platform. As a director, writer, producer, and now co-CEO of DC Studios alongside Peter Safran, Gunn has become a dominant creative force in the industry — and the fans have followed every step of his journey.

“IMDbPro data shows James Gunn’s projects consistently drive extraordinary audience engagement,” said Nikki Santoro, CEO of IMDb. “As a director, writer, producer, and studio executive, Gunn embodies the modern filmmaker. He’s the ideal first recipient of our new award celebrating the connection between fans and the creators who inspire them.”

Alongside Superman, Gunn is overseeing major upcoming DC projects including Supergirl and Lanterns, part of his and Safran’s ambitious reboot of the DC Universe. Despite the weight of executive duties, his directorial style remains distinct — emotional, weird, and deeply character-driven — a signature that fans keep coming back for.

Who Else Has Won IMDb Awards?

James Gunn holding his IMDb Fan Favorite Filmmaker award — Image via IMDb

The new “Fan Favorite Filmmaker” category joins IMDb’s STARmeter Awards lineup alongside previous honors like “Breakout,” “Icon,” and “Fan Favorite Ensemble.” Over the past decade, the awards have gone to popular creators and performers, including the cast of The Studio, Sydney Sweeney, Ayo Edebiri, and Peter Dinklage.

So why now? As fan culture grows and reshapes the industry, IMDb’s expansion to celebrate filmmakers signals a shift in how creators are recognized — not just for critical acclaim or box office, but for how deeply their stories connect with viewers around the world. And James Gunn, who once built a galaxy around a talking raccoon and a tree, is the perfect choice to blaze that trail.

Superman will open in theaters on July 11.