Many have been vocal about how James Gunn was unjustly fired after years old obscene tweets resurfaced because of an alt-right ultra conservative hit job. But none have been more vocal than Dave Bautista. The actor who plays Drax has gone on record saying he would consider not returning to reprise his role. That was followed by an ultimatum that if they did not use Gunn’s script, he would walk out on the project entirely, regardless of contractual obligations. Since then, Disney and Marvel Studios have decided to put the sequel on hold until they can figure out the next move.

While it’s still not clear if the studio will use Gunn’s script – he had finished an early draft before he was fired – it appears Bautista may not return at all. More on the story below.

In an interview with The Jonathan Ross Show, Bautista said:

In July Alan Horn, Chairman of Walt Disney Studios, fired Gunn when ultra-conservatives were able to unearth old tweets which joked about rape and child pedophilia. Although Gunn had also publicly apologized for them multiple times, and Disney was aware of them before they hired him for the first Guardians of the Galaxy.

Some of the other members of the cast have chosen to express their feelings on the matter differently. But all of them signed a joint letter asking that Disney reinstate Gunn. It was an effort that proved to be futile.

Last month, it was rumored that Marvel was attempting to get Disney to reverse their decision to fire Gunn. Despite outraged fans and the cast’s support, the studio stood by its decision to fire Gunn. However, efforts to find a director before the start of production have proven to be difficult. As a result, the sequel has been put on hold.

It will be very interesting to see how Disney and Marvel will move forward after this. Though some have said Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi could be Gunn’s replacement, many are still angered about the fact that Disney caved to an alt-right group with a vendetta against a man who disagreed with our current leadership.

But for now, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is put on hold. And we will just have to wait and see what happens next.

[Source: The Jonathan Ross Show YT]