Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is on hold as the search for writer-director James Gunn's replacement continues.

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According to The Hollywood Reporter , crew members in Atlanta are being told by Disney and Marvel Studios that they are now free to work on other movies and shows.The small group of crew members were prepping for pre-production in Atlanta. Filming was slated to commence in January or February of next year.THR's source described the hold as a temporary "regrouping" while the search for a new director continues. "The timeline has been pushed out," the source told the trade.THR adds that Thor: Ragnarok helmer Taika Waititi recently met with Marvel, "but it is unclear what project was discussed." James Gunn was fired from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in July when old tweets of his that included rape and pedophilia jokes were resurfaced by a right-wing website, prompting Disney to drop the creative force behind their billion-dollar franchise. Disney brass have since made it clear that they will not rehire Gunn , despite the cast's letter of support for Gunn and an outcry from many fans While Disney never officially announced a release date for Guardians Vol. 3, it had reportedly been eyed for a 2020 bow.