With news of James Gunn being fired by Disney, there’s some concern about what’s going to happen with the next Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 film. If you need a recap of the situation and to see our recommendation for Disney, you can check our latest thoughts on #GunnGate. As for the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the question remains: Who should be the next director? There are a lot of talented directors out there, so here are the Top 5 that we could narrow down.
[Video] Top 5 Directors To Replace James Gunn
Top 5 Directors For Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
5) Lexi Alexander
Lexi does have some experience working with Marvel already in the past. Back in 2008 she directed Punisher War Zone. It should be noted that this movie was actually done by Lionsgate studios and Marvel was a partner in distribution. Apparently there were a lot of issues going on with this movie like release dates getting changed up, poor marketing, and decisions by Lionsgate that Alexander didn’t really agree with.
I suppose my only concern with Alexander is her lack of experience with the scale of world building that comes with a Guardians movie. Not to mention the bigger budget that comes along with it. On the plus side, she’s actually a former World Karate and Kickboxing Champion. She could easily add some more action to the next Guardians film if Marvel wanted to go that route. I think that Lexi deserves a 2nd shot at doing a marvel movie if given the opportunity. (That is, if she’s interested in the position.)
4) F. Gary Gray
Gray has a pretty good track record so far. I think he can cover a lot of the basics with a Guardians movie. His first feature film was Friday, so he’s at least got some comedy under his belt. He can deliver suspense and drama given his work in Set It Off and Law Abiding Citizen. When it comes to big budget franchises with an ensemble cast, he does have the Fate of the Furious under on his resume too. My concern with Gray is I don’t know if he’d even have time because he’s been tapped to do the latest Men in Black spin off film that drops in 2019. So if he were selected, the movie may end up being more of a rush job since it’s supposed to release in 2020.
3) Phill Lord and Christopher Miller
The talented directors would seem to be a likely fit to take up the next Guardians movie. They’ve definitely got a grip on the comedy genre with hits like The Lego Movie, 22 Jump Street, and Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. I think they could definitely nail the more comedic aspect of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. What I especially like from them is, similar to James Gunn, they both write and direct their films. That’s usually a pretty good way to ensure that the creator’s vision is realized at its fullest. Now as some of you may know, Lord and Miller were originally supposed to direct the last Han Solo film until they had a bit of a falling out with Lucasfilm. Some say that there were creative differences, or that the directors weren’t prepared to handle the pressure of such a big film like Solo: A Star Wars Story. I don’t think that’ll be the case given the stories that have come out that say how great Marvel works with their directors for the most part.
2) Taika Waitti
Now I know many people may have Taika as their number pick. To be honest with you, he was the very first pick I had in mind when I started thinking about this list. After Thor Ragnarok, Taika proved that he could bring the good ol’ Marvel fun to a character like Thor. Not only that, but Thor’s interactions with the Guardians of the Galaxy in Avengers: Infinity War were some of the best parts of the film. This would be an extremely easy choice to make for Marvel. However, I wonder if Taika would accept the job. After seeing how Disney’s treated a fellow director by dumping James Gunn for past (disgusting) humor, who knows if that’s a deterrent for Taika. Plus, If Waititi is really close friends with James Gunn, he may feel some type of way just coming in and taking over. Then again, maybe if Taika takes the job and crushes it, he does it in a way to honor Gunn. Either way, Taika would be a clear no-brainer for the next Guardians movie.
Honorable Mention: James Gunn.
Yes, Disney should just rehire Gunn. This movie was his vision and work from beginning to end. Disney has more to gain from him being on board than not. Even if a small segment of the population wants to call foul, that’s far better than majority of the fan-base potentially boycotting, or missing out on future directors and actors. Rehiring Gunn would show that Disney supports their employees and won’t just leave them out to dry. Besides, he’s been the brains behind the franchise for two films already, and even wrote the script for the third installment already. There’s no question that he would be the best fit for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3.
1) Brad Bird
Yeah yeah yeah, I know. Tiaki is the popular pick. Look, I’ll agree with you all out there that want Taika for the role. However, I’ve got to say, Brad Bird really impressed me with the first Incredibles movies. He’s obviously got a good relationship with Disney. He writes and directs his films. In terms of pressure, Incredibles 2 was really good despite the long 14 year wait. Furthermore, his films have some really good balance that mesh well with what the Guardians have been doing. From the Incredible movies, to Iron Giant, to Mission Impossible 4, Brad Bird has comedy, adventure, drama, and adventure all checked off on the list. Also, If I’m just being honest, he really sold me with that final superhero battle in Incredibles 2. That was some of the best superhero action that I’ve seen in a while.
What did you all think about these Top 5 directors for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3? If you have another director that I didn’t mention, please let me know in the comments below.
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