Behind The Firing And Rehiring Of James Gunn: Insights From Former Disney Chairman

Former Disney Chairman Alan Horn Speaks Up On His Decision To Fire And Then Rehire Guardians Of The Galaxy Director James Gunn

By Amitabh Mukherji
April 27,2023
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In 2018, James Gunn, the director of Guardians of the Galaxy, was fired by Disney’s executive Alan Horn due to some of his old tweets. Despite Gunn’s past apology for the tweets, Horn made the tough decision to let him go. However, in 2019, Horn hired Gunn back to direct Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which will be released on May 5, 2023.

The Firing And Rehiring Of James Gunn

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Alan Horn recently spoke with The Hollywood Reporter, shedding light on his thought process when he fired James Gunn and how he felt leading up to rehiring him. Horn revealed that he had a gut feeling that he had made the wrong decision when he fired Gunn. Gunn himself acknowledged that Horn felt sick about letting him go, and he did it because he thought it was the right thing to do.

Horn praised Gunn’s behavior after he was fired and called him a gentleman. Horn was so impressed that he rehired Gunn, saying that “everything he did subsequently was first class.” Horn even supported Warner Bros. Discovery’s decision to name Gunn the Co-CEO of DC Studios, where he will oversee the universe of superhero films.

Gunn’s Involvement In DC And Marvel

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When Gunn was rehired, he paid a visit to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, who was thrilled that the director was back for Guardians 3. However, Gunn had already committed to directing The Suicide Squad, a DC film. Despite this, Feige and Gunn kept in close touch throughout the whole process, and Feige claimed that he and the other executives didn’t even consider anyone else to take Gunn’s place for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

The Right Decision

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Firing someone is a hard choice, and rehiring the same person can be even more challenging. Horn had to wonder if Gunn had burnt any bridges or if there was any lost trust. However, Gunn handled the situation with as much class as humanly possible, impressing Horn and Feige with his behavior after he was fired.

Gunn’s passion for his work and his close relationship with the actors in the trilogy have led to the success of the first two Guardians films. Even though it is impossible to predict how successful Guardians 3 will be, Disney and Marvel Studios got the film made by the person they wanted to make it.

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