In a major about-face, Disney has reinstated James Gunn for Guardians of the Galaxy 3.
The decision comes after the Disney fired the filmmaker from the project last year after a series of offensive tweets were resurfaced by right-wing critics. However, Gunn is back in the writer-director chair, Deadline reports.
According to the publication, both Marvel and Gunn's camp have confirmed that Gunn is officially back to work on Guardians of the Galaxy 3.
As to why Disney has now reversed its decision, Deadline reports that after firing Gunn, Walt Disney Studios president Alan Horn met with the director multiple times to discuss the situation. Eventually, it seems that Gunn's public apology and overall handling of the entire incident led Horn to reverse Disney's decision and now rehire the director.
Of course, the decision to axe the filmmaker was met with widespread backlash and protest, both from fans and the Guardians of the Galaxy 3 cast.
Gunn's apology from last July read as follows:
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.
So far, there is no word on when exactly Guardians of the Galaxy 3 will see release. But work on the film will apparently start after Gunn completes his next project, Suicide Squad 2.
The decision comes after the Disney fired the filmmaker from the project last year after a series of offensive tweets were resurfaced by right-wing critics. However, Gunn is back in the writer-director chair, Deadline reports.
According to the publication, both Marvel and Gunn's camp have confirmed that Gunn is officially back to work on Guardians of the Galaxy 3.
As to why Disney has now reversed its decision, Deadline reports that after firing Gunn, Walt Disney Studios president Alan Horn met with the director multiple times to discuss the situation. Eventually, it seems that Gunn's public apology and overall handling of the entire incident led Horn to reverse Disney's decision and now rehire the director.
Of course, the decision to axe the filmmaker was met with widespread backlash and protest, both from fans and the Guardians of the Galaxy 3 cast.
Gunn's apology from last July read as follows:
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.
So far, there is no word on when exactly Guardians of the Galaxy 3 will see release. But work on the film will apparently start after Gunn completes his next project, Suicide Squad 2.
