18 Directors Who Sneaked In References To Their Own Movies

James Gunn’s gig directing Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy might’ve been his big break, but a few years earlier he could be found directing his feature debut Slither – a 2006 alien invasion horror-comedy that payed homage to B-movies of yore and got a warm reception from critics despite disappointing at the box office.

Starring Nathan Fillion, Michael Rooker and Elizabeth Banks as residents of a small American town that’s overtaken by extra-terrestrial slug-like creatures, the film also features actor Gregg Henry, the voice of Rob Zombie and Troma co-founder Lloyd Kaufman in a cameo role.

As well as teaming back up with Fillion, Rooker, Henry, Rob Zombie’s voice and the cameo talents of Kaufman (who all also worked with Gunn on his 2010 black comedy Super), Guardians of the Galaxy features another reference to his directorial debut.

When Peter Quill and his band of intergalactic misfits meet The Collector (Benicio del Toro), we get a glimpse of his collection of interstellar artefacts. Amongst a tonne of Marvel characters including Cosmo the Space Dog and Howard the Duck, there’s a tankful of the same alien slug parasites that first appeared in Slither.