Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is due to start shooting next year if all goes well (thanks, COVID-19) with writer and director James Gunn back on board. And recently Gunn has opened up about his experience of being fired then rehired in a new interview.
Talking to Empire magazine, Gunn revealed the circumstances surrounding his re-hiring. "It was a happy ending" said Gunn, "but it was also scary, because I actually got the call from Alan Horn [Walt Disney Studios chairman] long before it was announced: it happened literally the day after I agreed to do The Suicide Squad."
And when he first informed Kevin Feige, the man behind the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), that he was working on a DC movie, Feige asked if it was Superman, which was a possibility apparently. Feige's reaction was thankfully supportive, telling Gunn “Please, please make a good movie. Just… make a great movie.”
Originally Gunn was fired by Disney in 2018 over offensive posts on his Twitter account were brought to light by right-wing activist Michael Cernovich in a move that was heavily criticized by cast members and fans. But after apologizing for his past tweets and a campaign to reinstate him, his re-hiring was announced the year after.
After having worked with the Big Two, Marvel and DC, Gunn has spoken about the perceived rivalry between the publishers. "There isn't enmity behind-the-scenes like there is in the fan community" he said, adding, "I think by far the majority of folks in the fan community are accepting, cool people."
When asked whether his upcoming The Suicide Squad is a sequel to David Ayer's 2016 film or a soft reboot, Gunn answered, “Um, it’s its own thing. It does not contradict the first movie, I don’t think. It might in some small ways… I don’t know…”
The Suicide Squad is due to be released in Aug 2021.
Source: Empire