Chris Pratt updates fans on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Production on the film was rocked by the firing of director James Gunn
Until his sudden dismissal in July 2018, James Gunn was synonymous with the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. With two hit films under his belt, the writer-director was busy penning a script for a hotly-anticipated third instalment.
But when a series of offensive old tweets came to light, Disney abruptly removed Gunn from the production and the film has been in limbo ever since.
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The Guardians cast – which includes Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista and Karen Gillan – signed an open letter calling on Disney to reinstate their director, but the studio stood firm and Gunn has since crossed over to the DC Universe, lined up to direct a new take on Suicide Squad.
Meanwhile, there's been limited public movement on Vol. 3 with production put on hold last August and fans wondering if it will ever come to fruition.
So, Chris Pratt's reassurance that a third film will be made comes as something of a relief.
“I promise there’ll be a third movie," he told Variety at the Lego Movie 2 premiere.
"I don’t know exactly what that’s going to look like, but I know everyone on board is just eager to give the fans what they want and wrap up a trilogy in a meaningful way.”
It's good news for fans. But there was a time when the Guardians were one of Marvel's most successful superhero groupings with critical acclaim, huge box office returns and a third film set for 2020.
It remains to be seen who will write and direct the final film – and whether it can match the dizzy heights the franchise's fans have come to expect.