NATIONWIDE -- Disney has rehired James Gunn to direct "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3," according to Deadline.
- Disney rehires director James Gunn
- Gunn was previously fired after offensive tweets resurfaced
- Gunn is set to direct "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3"
The company fired Gunn last July after old tweets from the director in which he joked about rape and pedophilia resurfaced online. Gunn apologized, saying in a statement that the tweets didn't "reflect the person I am today or have been for some time."
Many fans protested Disney's decision to fire Gunn, with petitions calling for his reinstatement circulating online. Members of the Guardians cast, including Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper and Dave Bautista, signed an open letter in support of Gunn.
Following Gunn's firing, Disney put Guardians of the Galaxy 3 on hold with no release date in sight. Gunn has since moved on to direct the sequel to Warner Bros' Suicide Squad, which is set to begin shooting in the fall.
Gunn released a statement about Disney's decision to rehire him. Gunn said, in part:
"I am tremendously grateful to every person out there who has supported me over the past few months. I am always learning and will continue to work at being the best human being I can be. I deeply appreciate Disney's decision and I am excited to continue making films that investigate the ties of love that bind us all."
The Guardians of the Galaxy franchise has made more than $1.6 billion worldwide at the box office.