Marvel Actor Vincent D’Onofrio Addresses Disney’s Decision Not To Hire James Gunn Back

Daredevil Wilson Fisk Vincent D'Onofrio

The firing of James Gunn from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was one of the biggest news stories to break last month. Gunn had become a fixture in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with his work on Guardians of the Galaxy and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and many associated with his work swiftly came to his defense. Now, it looks like a member of the TV side of the MCU has done the same, as Daredevil star Vincent D'Onofrio has taken to social media to lament Disney's decision not to hire Gunn back for the third Guardians movie. The actor wrote:

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So, now we know how Vincent D'Onofrio feels about the matter. Though the two have never worked together in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (which makes sense, as D'Onofrio's Kingpin is the definition of street-level when compared to the more cosmic stuff that Gunn works on), the actor appears to be a big fan of what Gunn has done with the characters. Like Dave Bautista (who has arguably become Gunn's biggest champion in the fallout of this ordeal), Vincent D'Onofrio's post indicates that he sees the move to not bring Gunn back as a "bummer."

This story began last month during San Diego Comic-Con weekend when James Gunn was removed from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. The reason for his removal stemmed from the discovery of offensive tweets Gunn had posted years earlier, some of which made light of topics like rape and pedophilia. Gunn has since apologized for the jokes and stated that he has grown in the years since he posted them, and there were even rumors that Marvel Studios wanted the higher-ups at Disney to reconsider the decision to drop him and bring him back for the third installment in the Guardians franchise. However, after a recent courtesy meeting, Disney stood by its decision.

Now, with it looking like James Gunn won't be returning to the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, many have begun to wonder who could take his place. Social media has exploded with fans trying to brainstorm suitable replacements, which have ranged from Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi to original -- and later fired-- Solo: A Star Wars Story directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller. Disney has given no hints or indications as to where the franchise will go in the wake of Gunn's exit, but it will be interesting to watch, as Guardians of the Galaxy has gradually become a cornerstone of the Marvel world.

CinemaBlend will bring you more information related to everything happening in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as new details are made available. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is reportedly still aiming for a 2020 release, but for now, head over to our movie premiere guide to read up on anything and everything that's set for a silver screen debut in 2018

Conner Schwerdtfeger

Originally from Connecticut, Conner grew up in San Diego and graduated from Chapman University in 2014. He now lives in Los Angeles working in and around the entertainment industry and can mostly be found binging horror movies and chugging coffee.