James Gunn, Big Sean Catch Up at Crunchyroll Anime Future Forum
American film director James Gunn (Lollipop Chainsaw, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Suicide Squad, 2025's Superman) reported on Wednesday that he attended the inaugural Crunchyroll Anime Future Forum. Gunn posted a photo of himself with American rapper Big Sean (Sean Michale Leonard Anderson) at the event with the caption, “Always good catching up with my pal, this time at the Anime Future Forum.”
How do Gunn and Big Sean know each other? According to Big Sean in a 2024 interview with Complex, they were one-time neighbors:
He ended up being my neighbor for a while, and I don't want to say what event occurred, but an event occurred where the whole neighborhood was outside, and he's like, “Big Sean?” I'm like, “James Gunn, what the fuck?” We started connecting, and I'm an ultra comic nerd. And I was talking to him like, “Man, I just saw Guardians of the Galaxy, but I love how you changed it up from the comic book.” He was like, “Damn, come over and smoke a cigar with me and talk.” We ended up just kickin it, and he's like, “Man, come on set with me while I'm doing Superman.” Of course, I've been busy and haven't made it, but we've been in contact. That's my boy, though—not even playing like James Gunn is my dog.
The inaugural Crunchyroll Anime Future Forum took place at the Javits Center in New York City on Wednesday. The Forum's website describes the event as a “[gathering of] creators, innovators, and industry voices defining anime today and where it goes next.” The program included a keynote, interactive sessions, hand-on technology experiences, and networking.
Crunchyroll announced the event in May 2026.
Sources: James Gunn's Instagram account, Crunchyroll Anime Future Forum's website
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