Some thoughts on James Gunn signing up for Suicide Squad 2

Some weeks have now passed since the controversial sacking of James Gunn by Disney over a series of deeply offensive tweets containing a number of jokes Gunn had made quite a few years ago.

Now, I’m not going to rake over the whole scenario once again as I’ve made my thoughts quite clear about by views on the situation – for example on the 5D Podcast not long after the news broke of his firing.

If you are so inclined, you can listen to it at the following sources;

 

ITunes – https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/5d-sci-fi-fantasy-horror/id1345044762?mt=2#episodeGuid=01911039-5f52-41d3-97b1-bc8318c8affe

YouTube: https://youtu.be/pMGXhxUS8lQ

Tunein: http://tun.in/tizv5T

It’s safe to say that I didn’t agree with his sacking, though it’s equally safe to say that I fully understand the outrage that many felt (including myself to a great degree) when reading the content of the jokes. I know many people who stated calmly and rationally the reasons why someone who shared such vile attempts at shock comedy should not be associated with Guardians of the Galaxy, let alone any other family orientated venture. My podcast co-host for one disagreed with me and thought the content of the tweets were such that it was right that he had to leave. I get it, I really do.

However for me the whole incident smacked of other darker intentions and motives at work. I firmly believe that Gunn’s vociferous existence on Twitter where he didn’t hold back on his political and moral beliefs in his condemnation of what he perceived as the abhorrent right-wing leaning behaviour of the current American leadership. He had made powerful and influential enemies…….so they let him have it by loudly and vociferously highlighting Gunn’s previous tweets. Tweets that he had years earlier apologised for and deleted, tweets that he had said no longer represented the man he now is, tweets that Disney had been made very well aware of some years ago.

The hypocrisy of those who led the online campaign to get him sacked & those at Disney who agreed to get rid of Gunn is palpable. Some of the very same people demanding his sacking due to making tastlesss and offensive jokes about some were the very same who suggested that a certain Presidential nominee shouldn’t be castigated for make jokes about ‘grabbing women by the pussy’ as this was just locker room banter.

Not only that, but as previously mentioned, Gunn had publicly apologised some years ago for the old tweets and jokes, an act that Disney were fully informed of. Funnily enough, their decision to sack him from Guardians of the Galaxy 3 on moral grounds etc didn’t stop them from stating that they would still be using the script that he had written……nope, no double standards there either.

As I’ve said, I’m fully appreciative of those who have read the jokes and found them highly offensive and disgusting – I have interacted with many people who I disagree with on this issue and have even managed to have a reasonable discussion with them (well mostly). There have been some who seem to think that because Gunn made jokes about rape & pedophilia that then made him a rapist, likewise there are some who think because one defends this man it then makes one also a supporter of such activities – absolute nonsense of course.

I’m sure that most people are now aware of the fury of opinion after the event, that despite support from large sections of the public, peers and the cast of Guardians of the Galaxy, Disney refused to reinstate James Gunn. I’m not surprised at that, they had painted themselves into a corner with their initial knee-jerk reaction to the online campaign to get him sacked. All of which leaves the production of the 3rd instalment in serious delay with cast & crew being advised to look for other prospects in the meantime.

So all this brings us to the news this week that James Gunn has been taken up by DC Comics & its parent company Warner Bros, to write the follow-up to the disappointing Suicide Squad movie. At this moment in time it appears that he is may also be in discussions to direct the film as well as writing it, though this fact has yet to be confirmed.

Whether or not this results in a change in fortunes for the DC cinematic universe that (apart from Wonder Woman) has witnessed a slew of critically disappointing movies plus the potential plans re-cast some major DC characters. This remains to be seen.

What is certain is that if James Gunn can recreate the genuine and unadulterated magic of Guardians of the Galaxy The the next instalment of  Suicide Squad could be very special indeed. I sincerely wish him well.

 

BTW

You can catch the most recent 5D Podcast where my we chats briefly about the new Venom film before the main event, the brand new season 9 of The Walking Dead.

 

You can listen to the episode at;

ITunes – https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/5d-sci-fi-fantasy-horror/id1345044762?mt=2#episodeGuid=a232afe1-2e05-405d-a524-024aef3bb913

YouTube – https://youtu.be/sbq8jUoT0o0

Tunein – http://tun.in/piVoE

Talkshoe – https://www.talkshoe.com/episode/5328670