Let's just cut right to the chase here, folks. Last night, alt-right commentator Mike Cernovich, the man responsible for the fake Pizzagate conspiracy that ultimately resulted in a fatal shooting, dredged up old tweets from the feed of James Gunn, the director of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy and its 2017 sequel. By all accounts, the tweets were gross and offensive, including numerous jokes about pedophilia and rape. Gunn issued an apology on Twitter yesterday, and he also apologized for several offensive jokes and statements back in 2012. But in the end, those pleas for forgiveness were futile. Disney has severed all ties with Gunn, which means the popular filmmaker won't be directing Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3, rumored for a 2020 release. Put bluntly, Gunn has been fired.
Here are statements from the involved parties (via The Hollywood Reporter):
Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn: "The offensive attitudes and statements discovered on James' Twitter feed are indefensible and inconsistent with our studio's values, and we have severed our business relationship with him."
Gunn: "My words of nearly a decade ago were, at the time, totally failed and unfortunate efforts to be provocative. I have regretted them for many years since- not just because they were stupid, not at all funny, wildly insensitive, and certainly not provocative like I had hoped, but also because they don't reflect the person I am today or have been for some time. Regardless of how much time has passed, I understand and accept all business decisions taken today. Even these many years later, I take full responsibility for the way I conducted myself then. All I can do now, beyond offering my sincere and heartfelt regret, is to be the best human being I can be: accepting, understanding, committed to equality, and far more thoughtful about my public statements and my obligations to our public discourse. To everyone inside my industry and beyond, I again offer my deepest apologies. Love to all."
Gunn's firing is probably the most shocking Hollywood story of the year. My initial reaction was a mixture of bafflement and anger, but I had to take a step back and process the situation a little more. I have two major thoughts at this moment:
1. Do I think Gunn should have been fired? No, I do not. Disney could have issued a statement condemning the tweets and emphasizing how Gunn has become a better person in the time since. But they didn't. Because they're a corporation and that's what they do.
2. If you're a famous director, why would you even have a Twitter account at this point? You're asking for trouble. Gunn should have deleted these tweets long ago, and he should have probably left the platform entirely.
But we can't ignore the Cernovich elephant in the room. This is a troll who took down a very famous man, one known for making anti-Trump statements. Disney's reaction to a fringe movement of outrage sets a scary precedent, and I echo everyone's concern in that department. And for anyone comparing this to the Roseanne Barr incident- tweets in the present vs. tweets in the past. Disney gave Barr the benefit of the doubt and she still screwed it up. Disney gave Gunn the benefit of the doubt and he has been nothing but exemplary since. And they still canned him.
In terms of where this leaves one of Marvel's most popular franchises, it's simply too early to tell. Part of me believes that Guardians 3 shouldn't be made at all. The series became Gunn's baby at a certain point, and I don't know what it even looks like without him. He already wrote the screenplay for Vol. 3- will that be scrapped or just expanded upon? Others have speculated that Taika Waititi will take over, but I seriously don't know if he would take on the job again. We're in limbo until Disney says otherwise.
Maybe the outrage over Gunn's firing will force Disney to reconsider. I doubt it. Look for more news on the Guardians 3 front as the story progresses....
Images: Marvel/IMDb
Here are statements from the involved parties (via The Hollywood Reporter):
Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn: "The offensive attitudes and statements discovered on James' Twitter feed are indefensible and inconsistent with our studio's values, and we have severed our business relationship with him."
Gunn: "My words of nearly a decade ago were, at the time, totally failed and unfortunate efforts to be provocative. I have regretted them for many years since- not just because they were stupid, not at all funny, wildly insensitive, and certainly not provocative like I had hoped, but also because they don't reflect the person I am today or have been for some time. Regardless of how much time has passed, I understand and accept all business decisions taken today. Even these many years later, I take full responsibility for the way I conducted myself then. All I can do now, beyond offering my sincere and heartfelt regret, is to be the best human being I can be: accepting, understanding, committed to equality, and far more thoughtful about my public statements and my obligations to our public discourse. To everyone inside my industry and beyond, I again offer my deepest apologies. Love to all."
Gunn's firing is probably the most shocking Hollywood story of the year. My initial reaction was a mixture of bafflement and anger, but I had to take a step back and process the situation a little more. I have two major thoughts at this moment:
1. Do I think Gunn should have been fired? No, I do not. Disney could have issued a statement condemning the tweets and emphasizing how Gunn has become a better person in the time since. But they didn't. Because they're a corporation and that's what they do.
2. If you're a famous director, why would you even have a Twitter account at this point? You're asking for trouble. Gunn should have deleted these tweets long ago, and he should have probably left the platform entirely.
But we can't ignore the Cernovich elephant in the room. This is a troll who took down a very famous man, one known for making anti-Trump statements. Disney's reaction to a fringe movement of outrage sets a scary precedent, and I echo everyone's concern in that department. And for anyone comparing this to the Roseanne Barr incident- tweets in the present vs. tweets in the past. Disney gave Barr the benefit of the doubt and she still screwed it up. Disney gave Gunn the benefit of the doubt and he has been nothing but exemplary since. And they still canned him.
In terms of where this leaves one of Marvel's most popular franchises, it's simply too early to tell. Part of me believes that Guardians 3 shouldn't be made at all. The series became Gunn's baby at a certain point, and I don't know what it even looks like without him. He already wrote the screenplay for Vol. 3- will that be scrapped or just expanded upon? Others have speculated that Taika Waititi will take over, but I seriously don't know if he would take on the job again. We're in limbo until Disney says otherwise.
Maybe the outrage over Gunn's firing will force Disney to reconsider. I doubt it. Look for more news on the Guardians 3 front as the story progresses....
Images: Marvel/IMDb
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