“Guardians Saved Me”: James Gunn On How The Cast Supported Him After Disney Firing

James Gunn, Director Of The Guardians Of The Galaxy Franchise, Discusses How The Cast Of The Films Supported Him During His Firing From Disney And

By Amitabh Mukherji
April 11,2023
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James Gunn’s Firing from Disney and Rehiring by Marvel James Gunn, director of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, was fired by Disney in July 2018 due to the resurfacing of crude jokes he had made on Twitter years before. After three months, Warner Bros. hired Gunn to direct The Suicide Squad, and eight months after his firing, Marvel Studios rehired him to direct Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 following a massive campaign from fans and MCU actors.

The Guardians Saved James Gunn

James Gunn
James Gunn

During the time after his firing, Gunn experienced a difficult period that was alleviated by the support of his colleagues from the Guardians of the Galaxy films. In an interview with Empire, Gunn revealed that his experience inspired the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which he described as “much, much more emotional” due to the personal journeys of everyone involved in making it.

Gunn explained that his friends from the films saved him during this difficult period, stating that “the people that I gave life to by hiring saved me and brought me back into the fold.” He described how his colleagues “pulled me onto the life raft” and how their reunion at Comic-Con was a reminder “of this whole emotional journey” they had all been on. Gunn also recalled how Zoë Saldaña and her husband fixed him a meal the night after his firing and how Karen Gillan and Pom Klementieff came to hang out with him and be his friend.

The Guardians’ Journey Together

Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 

Gunn emphasized that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is not only a continuation of the story but also a story “of this group of people who made each other’s careers” and how “none of [them] were big stars” aside from Zoë Saldaña. He explained that the cast members grew up together in that respect, and their journey is intertwined with the making of the films.

The Irony Of James Gunn’s Firing

James Gunn Teases DCU's Batman To Older Than Superman!
James Gunn Teases DCU’s Batman To Older Than Superman!

Despite the difficult experience of his firing, Gunn’s redemption and rehiring are somewhat ironic. Conspiracy theorist Mike Cernovich sparked Gunn’s ouster using Gunn’s old tweets with the intention of ending his career. However, this led to Gunn being hired by Warner Bros. to direct The Suicide Squad and eventually being chosen to co-head DC Studios. Moreover, Gunn’s rehiring by Marvel Studios has not stopped some from trying to get him fired over those same tweets again, which is unlikely to succeed.

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