Guardians of the Galaxy could lose Drax if Disney doesn't use James Gunn's script
Dave Bautista hits out at Disney in the wake of James Gunn's dismissal.
Guardians of the Galaxy without Drax? A new interview with Dave Bautista from Shortlist insinuates that the most literal character in the universes may not return for the third installment if James Gunn's script for the film is not used.
"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", Bautista said.
"I'd be doing James a disservice if I didn't." Bautista called it a "smear campaign on a good man", saying while he didn't think the GOTG cast's open letter to Disney would get Gunn rehired, he "hope it opens people's eyes to James' character".
Disney has not announced where it is on finding a new director or reworking the current script from Gunn.
Earlier on Monday, Bautista tweeted that he finds working for the global media powerhouse "pretty nauseating".
He has been an outspoken advocate of Gunn's on Twitter and has a pretty strict no-nonsense approach on the site, previously calling the dismissal "bullshit". Though the firing won't see Bautista quit the production ("I will do what Im legally obligated to do", he says), he didn't mince words on Sunday, calling out Disney for empowering "a smear campaign by fascists #cybernazis".
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 https://t.co/Ym4FwruVDu
— Dave Bautista (@DaveBautista) August 5, 2018
He wasn't the only one discussing Gunn's dismissal this weekend, with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 star Kurt Russell telling Variety, "I do think we're getting a little too sensitive on maybe some of the wrong people."
On July 20, Disney fired Gunn as director after tweets from 2008 were resurfaced by a far-right commentator Mike Cernovich. Since then, fans and industry figures have come out in support of Gunn. The cast of the film then signed an open letter to have Gunn reinstated as director of the third film on July 30.
CNET reached out to Disney for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
First published Aug. 5, 8:46 p.m. PT.
Updated Aug. 6, 4:08 p.m. PT to add new comments from Shortlist interview.
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