Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn has been sacked as director of the forthcoming third film.
It comes after a series of controversial tweets about rape and paedophelia allegedly written in the past by Gunn, surfaced online.
Gunn has since responded to the tweets, writing: “Many people who have followed my career know when I started, I viewed myself as a provocateur, making movies and telling jokes that were outrageous and taboo. As I have discussed publicly many times, as I’ve developed as a person, so has my work and my humour.”
He added: “It’s not to say I’m better, but I am very, very different than I was a few years ago; today I try to root my work in love and connection and less in anger. My days saying something just because it’s shocking and trying to get a reaction are over.”
1. Many people who have followed my career know when I started, I viewed myself as a provocateur, making movies and telling jokes that were outrageous and taboo. As I have discussed publicly many times, as I’ve developed as a person, so has my work and my humor.
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) July 20, 2018
But Walt Disney Studios have now taken the decision to fire Gunn.
Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn released a statement to the Hollywood Reporter, saying: “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.”
The tweets came to light after conservative website The Daily Caller dug up the posts, which were mostly allegedly posted in 2008 and 2009.
Gunn has been writing the script for Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol.3 and the movie was expected to begin shooting in Atlanta in the autumn with an expected 2020 release date.
He directed Vol. 1 and 2 and recently confirmed that the character Groot is dead while also clarifying the true origin story of Baby Groot.