Guardians Of The Galaxy: Did James Gunn Hide Easter Eggs From His Directorial Debut In The MCU Film?

James Gunn may have cleverly hidden easter eggs from his directorial debut in Guardians of the Galaxy. Read on for the full theory!

- May 30, 2025 | 5:30 PM IST

Here’s How James Gunn May Have Hidden Easter Eggs From Slither In Guardians Of The Galaxy(Photo Credit –Instagram/JioHotstar)

Before James Gunn earned recognition as the man behind Guardians of the Galaxy, he gave us something similar and weirder than talking trees and sci-fi raccoons. It was a little 2006 horror-comedy called Slither. And the wild part is that nearly two decades later, fans are still piecing together what might’ve been a hidden roadmap to the MCU.

It’s 2025, but let’s rewind when Gunn’s horror roots were still fresh and oozing. His directorial debut, Slither, was a splatter-filled throwback to ’80s creature features, with alien parasites, exploding bodies, and enough slime to drown a town. But what seemed like a B-movie homage at the time may have quietly planted the seeds for the Marvel madness to come.

Clues From Kylie’s Vision In Slither & The Collector’s Vault In Guardians Of The Galaxy

In Slither, there’s a memorable scene about 51 minutes in. A teenage girl named Kylie is attacked in her bathtub, a classic horror setup. One of the slugs slithers into her mouth and downloads its memories into her brain. We’re shown a vision of a distant alien world where a rat-like creature is devoured. Kylie later explains that the parasites destroy entire planets and move on.

And those rat-like creatures? They bear an uncanny resemblance to the Orloni, a species we see multiple times in both Guardians films. Native to Morag but seen across the galaxy, they pop up during some of the most iconic scenes, including Baby Groot’s dance number at the start of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. It’s not a stretch to think they’re the same, or at least from the same creative drawer. The designs are just too close for comfort.

The alien slugs from James Gunn’s first film Slither (2006) are among The Collector’s collection in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014).
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James Gunn’s Galaxy Might Be Bigger Than Fans Thought

It doesn’t stop with the slugs and rats. Fans also point to the Abilisk, the tentacled beast from Guardians Vol. 2’s opening battle, as a possible Slither cousin. The monster shares some eerie traits with Slither’s final boss, the grotesque fusion of flesh, teeth, and wormy appendages. The Orloni are also seen nearby, just hanging around watching the chaos.

It was probably a coincidence, but fans often start drawing lines when a filmmaker reuses these many visual elements. Add to that a cameo from Troma legend Lloyd Kaufman in Guardians, and it feels less like a one-off gag and more like a creative universe that’s always been connected through creatures, callbacks, and tentacles galore.

GoTG/Slither Movie Theory
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Sure, James Gunn didn’t know he’d be directing Guardians of the Galaxy when he made Slither. But that hasn’t stopped him from retroactively stitching together his own bizarre multiverse of monsters. So next time you rewatch Slither, keep your eyes peeled. That planet might not be Earth. It might just be Morag before the Marvel credits rolled.