Looooooooong ago, even before Iron Man came out, there was this little known horror film called Slither. I don’t really remember what it was about (it’s been years since I watched it) but I do remember it was about these alien slugs that went into people’s mouths and took them over.

It was a damn gory movie (which was why I love it) and it had Nathan Fillion in it. Oh, it was also directed by a relatively unknown director named James Gunn.

Yup, the very James Gunn who, in a couple of years, would get his chance at bat in the MCU with Guardians of the Galaxy.

Incidentally, the Guardians of the Galaxy game rocks!

You’d be thinking…’Wait, that doesn’t make sense. How can a movie that came out before the MCU was even a thing be a part of the MCU?!’

The simple reason is…well, it was James Gunn. It’s always been James Gunn.

When the Guardians meet up with The Collector on Knowhere, the slugs from Slither are one of his display pieces.

Slither
They can be seen clearly at 56:36 on Disney+’s version of Guardians of the Galaxy.

‘That’s a throwaway gag! A cameo!’, you scream.

Perhaps…but perhaps not.

Here’s the very last part of Guardians of the Galaxy’s end credits.

Slither
It’s right there in the black and white.

Gold Circle Entertainment owns Slither.

Why would Marvel pay them licensing fees for a simple throwaway gag that many people wouldn’t catch? That’s not the end of it too! James Gunn has even retweeted tweets of theories that fans have put up connecting the two universes.

Coincidence?

I think not.

So when Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hits next May and Marvel bills it as their first MCU horror film, you know an interesting (and relatively unknown) piece of trivia to wow your friends with.

Panda Grande is the mysterious new writer for The Technovore. Nobody knows where Panda Grande came from, just that he/she is a friend to mankind and lover of furry animals. Panda Grande is so mysterious he/she doesn't even have a display picture!