Disney fires 'Guardians' director James Gunn after tweets about rape, pedophilia unearthed

Andrea Mandell | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption James Gunn Dropped from 'Guardians of the Galaxy' Films Over Unearthed Tweets Marvel has officially dropped James Gunn as director of the Guardians of the Galaxy films after old, offensive tweets were unearthed.

Disney Studios cut ties with "Guardians of the Galaxy" director James Gunn on Friday, shortly after Gunn took responsibility for old, offensive tweets that joked about topics including rape and pedophilia.

"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," said Disney chairman Alan Horn in a statement obtained by USA TODAY.

Soon after, Gunn released a remorseful statement of his own.

“My words of nearly a decade ago were, at the time, totally failed and unfortunate efforts to be provocative. I have regretted them for many years since — not just because they were stupid, not at all funny, wildly insensitive, and certainly not provocative like I had hoped, but also because they don't reflect the person I am today or have been for some time.” "Regardless of how much time has passed, I understand and accept the business decisions taken today. Even these many years later, I take full responsibility for the way I conducted myself then. All I can do now, beyond offering my sincere and heartfelt regret, is to be the best human being I can be: accepting, understanding, committed to equality, and far more thoughtful about my public statements and my obligations to our public discourse.To everyone inside my industry and beyond, I again offer my deepest apologies. Love to all.”

The firing occurred one day after groups including conservative website The Daily Caller dug up old tweets from the filmmaker's feed. Gunn is openly liberal and a known critic of President Trump.

According to Fox News, one of the now-deleted tweets said, “I like when little boys touch me in my silly place.”

More: Mark Duplass calls his Twitter endorsement of Ben Shapiro 'a disaster on many levels'

Another tweet reportedly read: “The best thing about being raped is when you’re done being raped and it’s like ‘whew this feels great, not being raped!' "

Fox News said such jokes, which were posted from 2008-2011, included topics spanning 9/11, AIDS and the Holocaust.

Gunn apologized profusely late Thursday night on Twitter. "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."

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

It seemingly all started Thursday when Gunn took to Twitter to defend liberal actor Mark Duplass, who came under fire for his support of conservative commentator Ben Shapiro.

"Maybe you disagree with Mark Duplass, which is completely fair (personally I think even Ben Shapiro's mother should unfollow him). But that doesn't make Duplass' point-of-view evil," Gunn wrote on Twitter.

Shapiro struck back: "I appreciate the sentiment @jamesgunn, even if you're as wrong about following me as you were in your directorial decisions in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" he tweeted.

Conservative critics then began digging through Gunn's online history, unearthing material too unsavory for bigwigs at the Mouse House. By Friday, the Twitter war was over: Gunn lost. Despite the director's apology and his successful track record at Disney, Horn fired Gunn by lunch.

2014's wry, space-set "Guardians of the Galaxy" raked in over $773 million worldwide. The popular superhero follow-up, "Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2," made over $863 million worldwide.

"Guardians Vol. 3" was supposed to begin filming in January 2019, with Gunn set to direct and write. "It will conclude the story of this iteration of the "Guardians of the Galaxy," and help catapult both old and new Marvel characters into the next 10 years and beyond," Gunn wrote last year.

Earlier this week, Gunn teased a possible appearance at Comic-Con Friday night during Sony's presentation. "Hall H Friday 6:15pm," he wrote cryptically.

The director is no longer expected to attend the panel, a person familiar with the situation but not authorized to speak publicly tells USA TODAY.