Fired Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 director James Gunn previously came under fire and apologized for offensive comments he made in a 2011 blog post that resurfaced in 2012.
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The since-deleted post, originally published to Gunn’s official website, jamesgunn.com, in February 2011, was titled “The 50 Superheroes You Most Want to Have Sex With: 2nd Annual Poll Results.” The list was voted on by Facebook and Twitter users.
Gunn penned a short and often graphic blurb for each entrant, comments deemed “anti-gay” and “sexist” by equality-promoting organization GLAAD.
In a blurb referring to X-Men mutant Gambit, who ranked fifth, Gunn called the card-throwing superhero a “Cajun fruit” before adding the idea of his genitals rubbing against Gambit’s in a threesome “makes me sick to my stomach.”
“I’m hoping for a Marvel-DC crossover so that Tony Stark can ‘turn’ her,” Gunn wrote of LGBT superhero Batwoman, who ranked #32. “She could also have sex with Nightwing and probably still be technically considered a lesbian.” Gunn then suggested Iron Man’s playboy alter ego “lose the current prison p—ssy and go back to the ‘stache.”
“Being a teen mom and all, you know she’s easy,” Gunn wrote of supporting Batman character Stephanie Brown, who gave up a newborn for adoption. “Go for it.” Another Batman supporting player, the Cassandra Cain Batgirl, “has the ultimate daddy issues,” Gunn wrote. “Which means she’s just my type.”
Gunn dubbed X-Men villainess Emma Frost “a rude b—tch” and crudely referred to finishing on the face of superheroine Spider-Woman.
Many votes for The Flash came from gay men, Gunn wrote, saying, “I have no idea why this is. But I do know if I was going to get f—ed in the butt, I too would want it to be by someone who would get it over with quick.”
The filmmaker’s comments resurfaced in 2012 after Gunn was awarded the directing gig on Guardians of the Galaxy, a then-untested Marvel Comics property that emerged as one of the biggest hits of 2014 and launched an A-list blockbuster franchise.
TheMarySue.com heavily criticized Gunn for “slut-shaming (on only the female characters) and anti-gay language that Gunn directs towards the majority of the male characters.”
Gunn issued an apology for the text published through GLAAD and his own Facebook page:
A couple of years ago I wrote a blog that was meant to be satirical and funny. In rereading it over the past day I don’t think it’s funny. The attempted humor in the blog does not represent my actual feelings. However, I can see where statements were poorly worded and offensive to many. I’m sorry and regret making them at all. People who are familiar with me as evidenced by my Facebook page and other mediums know that I’m an outspoken proponent for the rights of the gay and lesbian community, women and anyone who feels disenfranchised, and it kills me that some other outsider like myself, despite his or her gender or sexuality, might feel hurt or attacked by something I said. We’re all in the same camp, and I want to do my best to make this world a better place for all of us. I’m learning all the time. I promise to be more careful with my words in the future. And I will do my best to be funnier as well. Much love to all.
Disney, owners of Marvel Studios, who produce the shared Marvel Cinematic Universe home to the Guardians of the Galaxy, the Avengers, Black Panther, Spider-Man, and more, fired Gunn Friday after offensive tweets published by Gunn came to light.
Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn condemned Gunn’s social media posts, saying in a statement the “offensive attitudes and statements on James’ Twitter feed are indefensible and inconsistent with out studio’s values, and we have severed our business relationship with him.”
“In the past, I have apologized for humor of mine that hurt people. I truly felt sorry and meant every word of my apologies,” Gunn said Friday. “For the record, when I made these shocking jokes, I wasn’t living them out. I know this is a weird statement to make, and seems obvious, but, still, here I am, saying it.”
Gunn was most recently listed as executive producer on Avengers: Infinity War.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is expected to open in 2020.
