The drama over at Disney continues after the controversial firing of Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn. The Hollywood Reporter announces that production of the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has been put on hold. While Disney has given no official statement, sources are describing this break as a “regrouping” for Disney and Marvel as they try to find another filmmaker. It’s currently unknown who the studio is considering at the moment. Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi reportedly met with Marvel recently to discuss a project, but there’s been no official word on what that project is.
The future of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise has recently been a major topic of conversation in the press. Disney’s swift decision to fire James Gunn came after several old Tweets were uncovered that featured some insensitive jokes. Their choice to end their relationship with Gunn upset a lot of fans, as many felt such a major decision should not be made based on jokes made several years ago. Even Marvel Studio’s Kevin Feige made attempts to compromise with Disney following the decision.
Regardless of your opinion on Disney’s decision, it did cause a major upset that likely complicated the production of the third Guardians movie. Not only do Disney and Marvel need to hire a replacement, but they need to find someone that fans and critics will appreciate after Gunn’s firing left such a sour taste. Hiring Taika Waititi as director might make fans the most excited short of Disney re-hiring Gunn. While there’s been no confirmation that Waititi is even being considered for the job, Ragnarok‘s high energy and sense of humor would translate well to the Guardians franchise. At this point, all we can do is continue to wait and see how this plays out.
