Unfortunately, despite an outcry of support from Dave Bautista, the rest of his lovable ragtag crew and the unyielding support of the Marvel Cinematic Universe fanbase – now some three hundred and fifty thousand-plus strong, according to a petition that’s gaining steam – James Gunn will not be able to reconcile his working relationship with The Walt Disney Company.
That’s right, the House of Mouse is unlikely to bring back the shepherd of the irreverent supergroup franchise and, as a result of his termination, the man behind the Guardians of the Galaxy movies will not be helming the forthcoming third installment.
That said, the biggest supporter of James Gunn these days – the aforementioned Bautista – reiterated his commitment to the role of Drax the Destroyer earlier this evening, albeit, in an unenthusiastic manner.
The actor, who’s been unrelenting in his criticism of The Walt Disney Company for their, in his opinion, unjust axing of Gunn, took to Twitter earlier today and confirmed that he will indeed be returning for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, even if the very thought of doing so does make him physically ill.
I will do what Im legally obligated to do but @Guardians without @JamesGunn is not what I signed up for. GOTG w/o @JamesGunn just isn’t GOTG. Its also pretty nauseating to work for someone who’d empower a smear campaign by fascists #cybernazis . That’s just how I feel
Evidently, while he’ll do what he’s “legally obligated to do,” Guardians of the Galaxy without James Gunn is not what he “signed up for.” And frankly, it’s perfectly understandable for him to feel this way and is probably how most of the cast are feeling at this stage, even if they aren’t openly saying it.
Principal photography on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is expected to kickoff early next year, but with Gunn believed to have completed the script before he was let go, it’s unclear if Marvel and Disney will be forced to push the start date back until a replacement director and/or writer can be found. Either way, we’ll be sure to keep you posted every step of the way as this saga continues to unfold.