I must say, I did not expect Disney to walk back on a big decision like this. It looks like, according to Deadline, that they have rehired James Gunn to helm Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3! Here’s apparently what happened, as written in the article:
Why the change of heart? After the firing, Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn met with Gunn on multiple occasions to discuss the situation. Persuaded by Gunn’s public apology and his handling of the situation after, Horn decided to reverse course and reinstate Gunn.
Like many, I was devastated when he was fired for old tweets that he apologized for long ago. Plus, the fact that alt-right figures basically created a false backlash made his firing that much more infuriating. I initially didn’t report on it because I wanted to wait and see if another – more legitimate – bomb would drop, but it seemed like it really turned out to be a case of taking action on bad faith arguments.
I’m sure there are people out there who are sincerely upset by the comments, and I think their feelings are valid. I agree that the jokes were of poor taste and incredibly gross, but unlike many other people who have suffered consequences for old comments, Gunn has been one of the very few who has shown actual growth and change, while openly discussing and owning his words without lashing out, and it’s reflected in his work as well.
So, it does make me very happy to see that he is back on a franchise that has long been something that very much represented the idea of troubled people coming together to better themselves and the world around them. Had Guardians Vol. 3 been made by anyone else, it would lack that personal touch. Why they made this decision in secret months ago, I don’t know, but it’s still damn good to hear.
The funny thing is, he is still attatched and very much prepped to shoot The Suicide Squad, or whatever that ends up being called, in the fall before heading off to do Guardians, which is just the icing on the cake in all this. I can’t wait to see both of these films. I’m sure Dave Bautista is jumping for joy somewhere out there.
To finish this off, here’s a comment that James Gunn just posted on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/JamesGunn/status/1106633508657651712
OK, before I end this, I do want to quickly change subjects. As happy as I am of this news, it does feel weird given the awful news coming out of New Zealand, in regards to the Christchurch mosque shootings. So, I want to provide a link where you can donate if you have the means, or simply share it so the people who need help can get it.
Here’s the link: https://www.launchgood.com/project/support_for_the_families__victims_of_the_new_zealand_mosque_shootings