Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is arguably its most successful, as every single release has been met with critical acclaim and strong box office numbers. But there is one major blemish on the current slate of Marvel movies: the firing of James Gunn. After offensive tweets resurfaced from the Guardians of the Galaxy director's social media accounts, he was fired from his position at Marvel.
Since he was sacked in July, the conversation around James Gunn's firing hasn't really stopped, and plenty of Hollywood figures have voiced their displeasure in the way the situation was handled. There's been campaigns and petitions to get Gunn rehired, and now some fans have stepped it up. Namely, by paying for a billboard calling for his return. You can check out the first of these billboards below.
Well, that certainly gets the message home. And the location of this first pro-Gunn billboard is of particular significance.
This fan-purchased billboard is located in Garden Grove, California-- only a few miles away from the location of Disneyland. With Disney in charge of Marvel and presumably responsible for James Gunn's firing from the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, it's a clear dig at the House of Mouse. Plenty of of the amusement park's patrons will have to drive past this notice on the way to the most magical place on Earth-- a situation Disney probably isn't thrilled about.
The campaign's information can be found at RehireJamesGunn.com, which also includes a link to a GoFundMe page. The group in charge of the movement are hoping to expand to more digital billboards. Furthermore, they want to keep them running through the holidays, in hopes of reaching the optimum amount of drivers during the busy season.
Following James Gunn's shocking departure around the time of San Diego Comic-Con, there have been a ton of very strong reactions about Disney's decision to part ways with the writer/director. Guardians of the Galaxy is arguably the most director-driven property in the entire MCU, as Gunn's sense of humor, taste in music, and even dance moves all made their way to the acclaimed franchise. And with Gunn now jumping over to DC for Suicide Squad 2, the future of the Guardians movies is in jeopardy.
It's currently unclear what will happen with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which was was originally set to be one of the first installments in Marvel's Phase Four. The threequel is on indefinite hold, with dates no doubt be shifted around for the post-Avengers 4 MCU. Plenty of directors' names have been tossed around by the fans to replace Gunn, although it seems like a hard act to follow.
Disney likely still isn't going to bring James Gunn back into the Marvel fold, as there's already been a precedent set with the firing of Roseanne Barr from her popular sitcom. Before his firing, Gunn had finished the first draft for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, so perhaps they'll utilize that script, and therefore keep Gunn's influence in the project. Actor Dave Bautista had previously stated he'd leave his role as Drax if the draft was not used, so all eyes are on what Disney will do.
The Guardians will return to the MCU when Avengers 4 arrives in theaters on May 3rd, 2019. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
