I’m sure that when accused rapist and pizza place conspiracy theorist Mike Cernovich dredged up over-a-decade-old Tweets from James Gunn he expected the writer/director to not only lose his job at Disney, but to never work in Hollywood again. Well, rumor has it that he will only be getting maybe half of what he wants.
The Hollywood Reporter‘s sources are saying that a number of top-name producers and studio executives have been dangling big projects in front of Gunn to entice him to their employ when his divorce from Disney is finalized. And one of the studios is rumored to be Disney’s rival, Warner Brothers.
The main hang up slowing the separation is that Gunn has already written the script for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and it is a script Marvel Studios would like to use. The two sides are negotiating a figure that will allow the studio to use the script but pay Gunn for his time and contribution. Sources say the amount could reach $10 million or higher.
And, to give hope to all the people who signed that petition to get Gunn his job back, sources say that part of the talks pertain to Gunn possible serving as an advisor or even directing a film for Marvel in the future.
But barring any unlikely reprieve that allows Gunn to keep working for Marvel, he will become an unrestricted free agent as soon as the ties with Disney are severed and can start a new project immediately.
Warners’ interest leads one to believe that they have their eye on Gunn to be involved with their DC Comics films. Gunn is a man who took an obscure comic book property and turned it into a $1.5 billion franchise. Any studio would like that kind of talent, but Gunn has also examined serious themes in films at Marvel that were light, airy and funny. That is something Warners can definitely use as they try and move away from their grim and gritty DC Comics films.
