What Happens To Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Without James Gunn?

James Gunn's departure from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 quickly puts the entire project into question. The creator was scheduled to write and direct the third installment, just as he did the previous two films. But, now that Disney has fired him, what is going to happen to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3?

As Phase 2 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe took shape, indie director James Gunn took a job that at the time looked to be a major risk. The Guardians of the Galaxy were an obscure comic book property just a few years ago, but the humorous and colorful approach on the big screen helped make this one of Marvel's biggest franchises. The first two films were incredibly well-received and made more than $1.6 billion combined. Marvel didn't waste any time announcing Gunn would return to close out the trilogy and he's spent the last year developing the project.

Related: Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Trailer, Cast, Every Update You Need To Know

All of this is expected to be for naught as Gunn has been fired as the writer/director of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. The news comes after old tweets resurfaced that included inappropriate and offensive attempts at humor. His sudden exit from the movie comes with production slated to begin early next year and a targeted (but never confirmed) 2020 release. So, what happens now?

• This Page: A New Director & Script Is Needed For Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
• Page 2: How Will Gunn's Firing Affect The Future of the MCU?

Marvel Must Replace Gunn As Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Director

With Gunn no longer in the picture, the biggest role Marvel needs to fill is the director. Gunn was slated to be the first director to helm all three chapters of an MCU trilogy. And, even though he's no longer involved, he's going to have an impact. Disney may want to move away from Gunn as best they can, but the current iteration of the Guardians is infused with Gunn's DNA, especially with Awesome Mix Vol 1 & 2. Audiences now know what to expect when they see a Guardians of the Galaxy movie, and that's unlikely to change with Vol. 3 even if Gunn's name isn't attached.

Read More: Who Should Replace James Gunn As Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Director?

However, that doesn't make the job of replacement any easier. Unlike previous Disney director shuffling (see Solo: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars Episode IX), this was a quick decision based on public statements and not due to Gunn's work in shaping the next film. Marvel don't have their next move lined up already, as Lucasfilm did with bringing Ron Howard on for Solo and J.J. Abrams in for Episode IX. Disney and Marvel Studios are suddenly in a position where they need to find another creative mind to take over. That could come sooner than expected if the next director is also in charge of an expected new script...

Will the Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Script Start From Scratch?

Disney and Marvel don't just have to replace Gunn's role as a director, but also a screenwriter. Even though Nicole Perlman is credited on Guardians of the Galaxy, the first two movies are very much Gunn's creations. This was going to stay true on Vol. 3 as Marvel wasn't bringing another writer in to help Gunn punch up his own script. Similar with his absence as a director, whoever takes over will need to match the tone that Gunn's previously established.

Related: Is Adam Warlock the Main Antagonist Of Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3?

The bigger challenge, though, is creating the next story. Gunn has spent most of the last six years devoting his time and energy to telling more Guardians stories. He knows these characters better than anyone else and clearly had ideas for where they could go next. He already completed the script for Guardians Vol. 3, but if Marvel and Disney truly want to sever all ties to him they can't use it; if they use anything from Gunn's screenplay, then he would have the right to be credited for his work. This would depend on how much was ultimately used, but if Disney wants to move on, telling a completely different story is the best way to go.

The script and director hiring do go hand in hand depending on how Marvel proceeds. They could hire another writer/director to take full control of the franchise, or could hire a writer very soon to break the next story and then start meeting with directors as the script takes shape. Regardless of approach, filling both of these roles is a must, and - depending on when it happens - could impact when the next movie is actually seen.

Page 2 of 2: Guardians of the Galaxy 3's Release and the MCU's Cosmic Future

Will Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Change Release Dates?

One of the luckiest parts to this for Marvel Studios is their reluctance to announce anything Phase 4 related to help prevent Avengers 4 spoilers. They never officially dated Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, so they can always technically say the project isn't or won't be delayed. That said, production was slated to begin early next year as confirmed by several cast members. For his part, Gunn hinted several times that 2020 was the release date target, while Disney already has a May 2020 date secured for an "Untitled Marvel Movie."

Everything we know about Marvel's future plans pointed to Guardians 3 taking the May 1, 2020 release date. Whether or not this can happen goes back to the previously discussed topics of the director and script. The film cannot be made without either of those instances, leaving Marvel Studios about six months to get Vol. 3 in a position where it can start filming. They were able to do some similar quick moves when Edgar Wright left Ant-Man, but his exit was just for creative differences and he still received credit on the film.

Related: Will Guardians of the Galaxy 3 End the Series?

The odds look to be stacked against Guardians of the Galaxy 3 managing to find a way to stay in this May slot. If it can't, Marvel and Disney suddenly have a major gap in the prime summer weekend. Maybe Black Widow can shift there, but that doesn't offer much respite given that prequel's expected in July 2020. A very possible scenario is Vol. 3 moving back to the May 2021 slot instead, although that's not painless; any delays to production could cause scheduling headaches. Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, and Dave Bautista are some of the busiest people in Hollywood, so prior commitments may not permit them to film later in 2019. In short, Marvel's in a tricky spot if they don't get a replacement soon.

The Impact on MCU Cosmic Future

The bigger difficulty with delaying Guardians of the Galaxy 3 at all, though, is how it could completely change Marvel's entire plans for the MCU. Kevin Feige has said the future of the MCU would be more cosmic, and Gunn was scheduled to have a big role in shaping this corner of the universe. He'll no longer serve that role, which could delay or impact other projects. For instance, The Eternals is a project Marvel's been developing, and it is conceivable that Gunn's version of Guardians 3 would have helped lay the groundwork. While this set up could still theoretically happen, it doesn't work if Eternals comes out first.

Characters like Adam Warlock, Quasar, and Nova have all been teased or discussed as possible additions to the roster too, and each could hold their own franchise if Marvel really wanted. If Adam Warlock or Nova solo movies were being developed and planned for 2021 or 2022 releases, then there are more ramifications for possibly moving Guardian of the Galaxy Vol. 3's release date. Going a step further, that could also limit the creative freedom Gunn's replacements have depending on how invested Marvel had become in certain properties.

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Whatever the future holds for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, it quickly has become Marvel's biggest mystery project. They've got a lot of work to do and decisions to make regarding the future. As Marvel and Disney figure out what to do next, it hopefully won't be too long before we gain clarity on all of these topics.

MORE: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Should Introduce Kitty Pryde

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