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James Gunn has been re-hired for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3. In short, Disney and Gunn had a lot of meetings, and since he gave a public apology and showed contrition, and is also directing Suicide Squad 2 for Warner and DC Comics, Disney still want him for their Marvel movie.
In long, you can read all the waffle on Deadline’s exclusive.
Previously on DVDfever:James Gunn re-hired from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3
July 21st 2018:
James Gunn, director of Guardians of the Galaxy and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2, has been fired… Gunn? Fired? No, you shut up!
Anyway, Disney have kicked him out of directing Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3, which was expected to come out in April 2020, so three years on from Vol.2, and six years on from Vol.1, but a website called The Daily Caller found a load of dodgy tweets which he posted back in 2008 and 2009, and Disney weren’t happy.
Some of the topics are very dodgy and you can see them below. He says he’s changed over the years, and people do change, but while some have described these as crude jokes, it does make you wonder how come something in his head didn’t ring out about “being pissed on by a 3-year-old” as being something you probably shouldn’t say online when you’re planning a career in Hollywood? Okay, he said it, he didn’t DO it, and it’s a lot less of a deal than for what Harvey Weinstein’s been alleged to have done, but it’s still not great.
Click on the following pic for the full-size version…
As well as jokes, James Gunn has had a lot of negative things to say about Donald Trump, all of which led to Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn to say yesterday, “The offensive attitudes and statements discovered on James’ Twitter feed are indefensible and inconsistent with our studio’s values, and we have severed our business relationship with him.”
The day before, Gunn tweeted, “Many people who have followed my career know, when I started, I viewed myself as a provocateur, making movies and telling jokes that were outrageous and taboo. As I have discussed publicly many times, as I’ve developed as a person, so has my work and my humour. It’s not to say I’m better, but I am very, very different than I was a few years ago; today I try to root my work in love and connection and less in anger. My days saying something just because it’s shocking and trying to get a reaction are over.”
As you might expect, James Gunn no longer became part of Sony’s Comic-Con presentation on Friday, although he did issue a statement on that day, stating he regrets those tweets and that “they don’t reflect the person I am today”.
He adds, “My words of nearly a decade ago were, at the time, totally failed and unfortunate efforts to be provocative. I have regretted them for many years since — not just because they were stupid, not at all funny, wildly insensitive, and certainly not provocative like I had hoped, but also because they don’t reflect the person I am today or have been for some time. Regardless of how much time has passed, I understand and accept the business decisions taken today. Even these many years later, I take full responsibility for the way I conducted myself then. All I can do now, beyond offering my sincere and heartfelt regret, is to be the best human being I can be: accepting, understanding, committed to equality, and far more thoughtful about my public statements and my obligations to our public discourse. To everyone inside my industry and beyond, I again offer my deepest apologies. Love to all.”
Guardians star Dave Bautista has also come to Gunn’s defence, tweeting, “I will have more to say, but for right now, all I will say is this… James Gunn is one of the most loving, caring, good natured people I have ever met. He’s gentle and kind and cares deeply for people and animals. He’s made mistakes. We all have. I’m NOT okay with what’s happening to him.”
It’ll be interesting to see who does direct Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3, and don’t forget that Gunn has been involved in the scripts for all three films, as he wrote the second one, and co-wrote the first.
Anyone who’s read my reviews will know that I’ve grown tired of these superhero movies, but the Guardians films were the only ones I still planned to see, as they’re generally more humourous even if they are a bit half-arsed at times as both of the first two need about 20-30 minutes cutting out of each of them, and there are large sections where not a lot happens. However, when they’re good, they’re great.
Who do you think should direct Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3?
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.