Previously, Director James Gunn was fired from the contract enabling him to direct the third installment in the contracted Marvel franchise, Guardians of the Galaxy. This action on Marvel’s part followed the re-release of several offensive Twitter posts Gunn had posted years prior circulating in humor targeted at pedophilia, AIDS, and rape, including the following: “I like when little boys touch me in my silly place.” Marvel immediately fired James Gunn under the notion that the offensive tweets were inconsistent with the company’s moral and goals. However, Gunn has been noted for his strange and obscure humor in the past. If it helps to envision it, James Gunn is the creator of the live action Scooby Doo movies. And, with the tweets being from so long ago, many people were reluctant in the brash decision that would certainly sink the franchise after two enormously successful movies. The cast and crew stood behind Gunn, advocating for his character after the incident, each signing a protest form that they would not sit by it Gunn was fired.
James Gunn (left) and his brother Sean Gunn (right)
Currently, Sean Gunn, brother to James Gunn (and the actors of two roles in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies) confirmed at the opening of Marvel’s Captain Marvel that the next installment: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is a go. While James Gunn was still unconfirmed as the director at the times of Sean Gunn’s comment, the announced apologies and the casts protests seem to have done their trick. As of right now, James Gunn has been reinstated as director for the third movie in the franchise. While this decision may be controversial in social aspects, on the prospect of film, it would have been nearly impossible for another director to mimic Gunn’s unique humor and style that propelled the franchise into such an enjoyable, money-making success.
(Updated: Mar. 18: Previous publication mentioned that James Gunn was still unconfirmed as the director)