Dave Bautista has never hid his feelings about Disney firing James Gunn from Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 for offensive tweets, and suggested he might even quit the new film while production is delayed indefinitely.
During an interview on The Jonathan Ross Show, Bautista would not commit to playing Drax the Destroyer again.
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“It’s a bitter-sweet conversation — um, no it’s a bitter-bitter conversation because I’m not really happy with what they’ve done with James Gunn,” Bautista said about his relationship with Disney. “They’re putting the movie off. It’s on hold indefinitely. To be honest with you I don’t know if I want to work for Disney.”
Bautista and Ross dropped the topic there, as comedian Kevin Hart, another guest on the show, butted in.
“I’ll tell you what… I don’t want to be here when gets upset so I suggest we change the subject,” Hart joked.
Disney shockingly fired Gunn in July after right-wing Twitter users brought up his offensive jokes from 2009 to 2011. Gunn later apologized, then issued a statement supporting Disney’s decision to let him go afterwards. However, members of the cast, including his brother Sean Gunn, have continued to support him.
Bautista has been the most vocal about his disappointment with Disney compared to the other Guardians stars. In early August, Bautista said it was “nauseating” to work for Disney.
“I will do what Im legally obligated to do but @Guardians without @JamesGunn is not what I signed up for. GOTG w/o @JamesGunn just isn’t GOTG. Its also pretty nauseating to work for someone who’d empower a smear campaign by fascists #cybernazis . That’s just how I feel,” the former wrestler wrote.
In an interview with Shortlist, Bautista vowed to quit if Disney scrapped Gunn’s script.
“Where I’m at right now is that if [Marvel] don’t use that script, then I’m going to ask them to release me from my contract, cut me out or recast me. I’d be doing James a disservice if I didn’t,” Bautista told Shortlist.
Bautista also stressed that no one is defending Gunn’s offensive jokes, but he called the firing a “smear campaign against a good man.”
“I spoke to Chris Pratt the day after it happened and he’s a bit religious so he wanted time to pray and figure it out, but I was more like: f– this. This is bulls–,” Bautista continued. “James is one of the kindest, most decent people I’ve met.”
On Aug. 24, The Hollywood Reporter claimed that Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 was put on hold indefinitely. Production was supposed to start early next year, with Disney and Marvel hoping to get it in theaters in 2020. There were reportedly talks about Disney bringing Gunn back, but Disney stuck with their initial decision.
While you wait for Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3, you can catch Bautista in his next action movie, Final Score, which opens on Sept. 14.
Photo credit:Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic/Getty Images
