Disney is known for producing captivating films that fans of all ages love. However, the company often has to make hard calls to keep the show running. One such instance was the dismissal of James Gunn five years ago. While Gunn is now the head of DC, his firing put a Disney chairman in a dilemma.
As per a recent interview, a senior executive at Disney had sleepless nights. On July 20, 2018, Gunn was fired from the highly-anticipated Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Old tweets from the well-known filmmaker, which portrayed him negatively, were brought back to light by some individuals. It’s worth noting that these tweets were primarily published in 2008 and 2009, and the passage of ten years has the potential to transform nearly anyone. Disney realized its decision was wrong and brought the director back.
James Gunn’s Firing Shocked Everyone
During a recent interview with Empire Magazine, James Gunn, the director of Guardians of the Galaxy movies, and the cast members, discussed the difficult circumstances surrounding Gunn’s dismissal in 2018. Additionally, they disclosed that former Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn, who was responsible for the decision to terminate Gunn’s employment in 2018, never felt entirely comfortable with it and ultimately rehired him in 2019.
Gunn noted that Horn “is a good man” and that he’d been told the executive “couldn’t sleep at night” after it happened. Actress Pom Klementieft said that the whole fiasco didn’t make any sense.
“We couldn’t imagine a third ‘Guardians’ directed by anyone else… It didn’t make sense at all. I mean, James changed my life. I’ll be grateful for him forever.”
After months of being on the outside, James Gunn was brought back as the director of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 by Disney on March 15, 2019. Besides, Gunn was also granted a unique chance to explore new storytelling avenues with competitor DC Studios.
James Gunn Is Enjoying His Best Time
Although it may have been an exaggeration to suggest that Alan Horn couldn’t sleep, the underlying message is clear: terminating James Gunn‘s employment was wrong. Fortunately, even a colossal entity like Disney eventually recognized this fact. However, this chain of events worked pretty well for Gunn.
It not only allowed him to direct The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker, but James Gunn’s stint with Warner Bros also paved the way for him to become one of the co-heads of DC Studios. And to top it off, he was able to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and conclude his Guardians trilogy, which was just the icing on the cake.
Ironically, if James Gunn had not been briefly fired by Disney for eight months, things may not have unfolded as favorably for the filmmaker. Although James Gunn is not the first person to lose their job due to a history of controversial tweets, he is among a select few individuals who many believe deserved the chance to redeem themselves.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will release in theaters on May 5 and will be available for streaming on Disney+ later.
Source: The Direct
