No matter what big twists befall us during Avengers: Endgame—and we’re expecting quite a few—the biggest surprise to spring from the Marvel world this year will undoubtedly remain James Gunn being rehired to direct Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Unbelievable though it may be, Deadline dropped the news that Disney has re-enlisted Gunn to helm the forthcoming threequel after having fired him last July. Nerdist has independently confirmed these details. The dismissal of Gunn, who of course directed the first two Guardians films to widespread acclaim, was an especially controversial affair; the rationale for the decision was that years-old tweets by Gunn featuring offensive or obscene shock humor were deemed unbefitting of a creative tethered to the Disney brand. However, some saw these tweets, first brought to light by conservative political blogger Mike Cernovich, as an excuse to get the vocally left-leaning Gunn removed from his position.
Deadline adds the rehiring of Gunn had been in the works for some months prior to the announcement on Friday, and one suspects that outcry from not only fans but Gunn’s Guardians cast members—especially Dave Bautista, a.k.a. Drax the Destroyer, who at one point threatened to quit the franchise were Gunn not reinstated—was integral in convincing Disney to bring the director back on. Shortly after the news broke, Gunn himself tweeted the following message:
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) March 15, 2019
Good news though this may be for devotees of Gunn, the Guardians movies, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general, this revelation may sound immediately concerning to a separate fan base. Following his dismissal from Guardians 3, Gunn had been hired to direct the forthcoming Suicide Squad sequel, a tentpole of the MCU’s primary competition, the DC Comics Extended Universe. Deadline reports that Gunn will retain his role directing the Warner Bros-produced project before returning to his home base at Marvel to shoot Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Basically, if there’s a blockbuster film about a motley crew of antiheroes, Gunn’s handling it.
Images: Disney
