The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been on a serious roll lately, as every single installment in Phase Three has been a critical and financial success. And while this success will likely continue through Captain Marvel and Avengers 4, the shared universe recently lost one of its most visionary contributors. Guardians of the Galaxy writer/director James Gunn was recently fired by Disney and Marvel Studios, after insensitive Tweets resurfaced that forced the House of Mouse to distance itself from Gunn. This leaves the future of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise a mystery, as Gunn was intimately involved in every aspect of the intergalactic blockbusters. But some Marvel fans know who should replace him: Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi.
When James Gunn was shockingly fired from his position in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, the internet basically exploded. It's almost impossible to think of anyone else directing the motley crew of Guardians, especially with the threequel set to be one of the first new movies in Phase Four. A new director is needed, and given Taika Waititi's massive success with Ragnarok, many fans believed he could be the perfect choice. Check out one of said tweets below.
While far from an official petition, you can tell that the Marvel fandom is eager for answers regarding the future of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. The property is one of the most beloved in the greater MCU, and now it seems like a threequel is no longer guaranteed. But Taika Waititi might be the guy to change this.
Taika Waititi made his MCU debut directing Thor: Ragnarok, which has been universally considered the strongest installment in Chris Hemsworth's franchise. Waititi took the God of Thunder out of Asgard and far into the galaxy, allowing him to meet up with The Hulk and newcomers like Valkyrie. Waititi inserted his unique sense of humor into Ragnarok, adding more levity and comedy than the previous two. And since Waititi has already ventured into the cosmic side of the MCU, he'd likely be able to balance the motley crew of Guardians and direct Vol. 3.
Fans have been hoping that Taika Waititi would return to the MCU since Thor: Ragnarok debuted in theaters and shattered expectations about the franchise. Since then, many have hoped that Chris Hemsworth would continue his tenure as Thor, therefore allowing Waititi to possibly direct a fourth film. And with James Gunn unable to complete his planned trilogy, it might be the opportunity to bring Waititi back to the MCU without having to pay Hemsworth an extra boat load of money.
But Taika Waititi isn't the only Marvel figure fans can envision directing Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Some fans have suggested actress Karen Gillan (aka Nebula) would be a good choice, given her itch for directing and experience playing Nebula. Another option given over Twitter is Nicole Perlman, who helped write the first Guardians movie.
Given Nicole Perlman's experience with the original Guardians of the Galaxy movie, she's another possible choice to succeed James Gunn as director. She's also still involved with Marvel, writing Captain Marvel and doing the treatment for the still developing Black Widow movie. Overall, it's unclear how Guardians of the Galaxy will continue without James Gunn. But with the titular group of weirdos also having roles in Infinity War and Avengers 4, fans are going to want more from the property.
You can catch up with the Guardians (or what's left of them) when Avengers 4 arrives on March 3rd, 2018. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
