Chris Pratt is in a reflective mood! The Guardians of the Galaxy star speaks out on James Gunn being fired from Marvel Studios back in 2018.
It’s hard to imagine that James Gunn was fired from Marvel Studios almost 8 years ago at this point. For those that don’t recall, the Guardians of the Galaxy director was canned from making the third volume of the trilogy after some edgy Tweets resurfaced from several years prior. This immediately led to an outcry of support from fans and industry veterans alike.
Yet while some members of the Guardians of the Galaxy cast like Dave Bautista were vocal about their displeasure in the decision, others were relatively quiet about the firing. Chis Pratt, who himself has been in and out of hot water with the internet in recent years, was one of those who didn’t say too much about James Gunn’s separation from Marvel Studios.
‘I Started Praying On It’ – Chris Pratt
Now, all these years later, Chris Pratt is finally revealing what was going through his head during the controversy. While speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the star revealed that he immediately pushed back against Marvel Studios’ decision to fire James Gunn. And while the choice to bring the Guardians of the Galaxy director back wasn’t up to him, he is happy that such a major error was rectified.
“I remember it all clearly. I talked to Louis D’Esposito at Marvel, and he said they had to let James go. I told him it was a mistake. ‘You can’t do this.’ But it happened anyway. I reached out to James and said, ‘This isn’t over.’ I started praying on it and strategizing. Dave Bautista defended him publicly in his own intense way.”
“But ultimately, the credit for bringing him back goes to the people at Marvel and Alan Horn at Disney. He realized it wasn’t right. Some people get cancelled and then act in ways that justify it. James was incredibly classy. He owned everything. Once things settled, it was clear it was unfair. He got the job back because firing him was a glaring mistake.”
Of course, now half a decade out from the controversy, some could argue that James Gunn being fired from Marvel Studios was the best thing to happen for everyone. Gunn is now in charge of the DC Universe with several wildly successful projects under his belt, and the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy had a heart-warming conclusion, with Chris Pratt still set to return for future projects.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is now streaming on Disney Plus. Stay tuned for the latest news regarding the future of James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy series!
