James Gunn Fired From ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’
Disney and Marvel Studios have severed ties with James Gunn after offensive comments made by the director have resurfaced. He will no longer be directing Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
The Hollywood Reporter has just confirmed that Gunn will no longer be involved with Marvel projects in spite of previous plans to have Gunn help oversee development of future cosmic-based stories in the setting. Gunn was kicked out over provocative jokes that he had made in previous years involving sexism, pedophilia, and rape. Gunn issued an apology for his statements on Twitter, which can be read in the thread below.
1. 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 humor.
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) July 20, 2018
Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn issued the following statement regarding Gunn’s ousting: “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.”
Gunn was expected to appear at Sony’s Comic Con panel later today to reveal a project that has been speculated to be an adaptation of the Grant Morrison graphic novel Nameless. That appears to be off the table in light of the controversy, as insiders are suggesting that Gunn will not be at SDCC at all.
As of right now, the current plan for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is unclear. The film will likely use a modified version of his script as the story for the film is stated to be influential for where Marvel will take its setting going forward.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be released on May 1, 2020.
Grant Davis is a freelance writer who has covered entertainment news for more than seven years. His articles have frequently appeared in Star Wars News Net as well as as other entertainment-related websites. As someone who grew up on Star Wars and comic book movies, he’s completely thrilled with the current era of genre entertainment.
