The cast of Guardians of the Galaxy released a statement on Monday that they are standing in solidarity with James Gunn. Gunn was fired as director on July 20th by Disney after offensive tweets resurfaced from 2008 through 2012. The tweets were dug up by critics of Gunn after he made several political comments on his Twitter account.
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Cast members, like Dave Bautista, have been openly against Gunn’s firing but the cast members are taking a united front. Signed by the likes of Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, and Vin Diesel, the statement is the first letter openly and collectively addressing Gunn’s termination.
The cast is touched by the “outpouring support” expressed by the public for his reinstatement. They state that they were “not here to defend his jokes” but there to express their “love, support, and gratitude” for Gunn. They believe that Gunn has been unfairly scrutinized in the “court of public opinion.” Their statement ends with a stark reminder by the cast the effects of one’s digital footprint.
Members of the cast aren’t the only ones to show support for Gunn. Celebrities have come out in defense of the ousted director. Selma Blair recently deactivated her Twitter account to stand in solidarity with Gunn. There has even been a petition set up with over 340,000 signatures to reinstate him as director. That might not be enough to change the minds at Disney.
After Gunn was fired, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios, Alan Horn, stated that tweets were “indefensible and inconsistent with our studio’s values.” Gunn apologized for his behavior in the past but stated that, “I understand and accept the business decisions taken.”
Disney and Gunn have yet to release a response to the statement made by the cast. Many are eagerly awaiting their decision to see if production of the third installment will continue without Gunn. His firing will undoubtedly affect the GOTG series but will also make waves in the Marvel Universe.
Do you think Disney was right to terminate Gunn?
