‘Thor: Ragnarok’ Director Taika Waititi Has Hilarious Response to James Gunn’s Rehiring

Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi reacted to news of Guardians of the Galaxy writer-director James Gunn’s reinstatement Friday with feigned shock and indignation. “What the hell?? I thought I was going to do it,” Waititi tweeted when sharing news Disney has reversed course on its decision to fire Gunn after offensive tweets published by the filmmaker surfaced last summer.

In the wake of Gunn’s removal from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 — then planned for a January 2019 shooting start — a growing number of Marvel fans called for Waititi to steer the project, which was confirmed to have kept Gunn’s script despite his removal from the director’s chair. Waititi showed his support for Gunn’s reinstatement in January and expressed his disinterest in succeeding Gunn on Guardians, saying in February, “Those are James’ films.”

“Going into something like that with his stamp all over his films, would be like going into someone’s house and saying ‘Hey, I’m your new dad, and this is how we make peanut butter sandwiches now,’” he said. “It feels kind of awkward.”

Though Waititi met with Marvel in August about an undisclosed project, he has since said he “didn’t really” talk about Guardians with the Disney-owned studio. Reports announcing the news of Gunn’s return to the franchise Friday claimed Disney never sought meetings with replacement directors after Gunn’s infamous firing in July, and instead quietly negotiated with the ousted filmmaker to reach an agreement allowing his rehiring — fulfilling the desire of a petition that has since earned nearly 500,000 signatures.

“I am tremendously grateful to every person out there who has supported me over the past few months,” Gunn wrote on Twitter Friday. “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. I have been, and continue to be incredibly humbled by your love and support. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. Love to you all.”

Gunn will first script and direct The Suicide Squad for Warner Bros. before revisiting the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Marvel has yet to announce a release date.

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