Guardians Of The Galaxy's sacked director James Gunn re-hired by Disney to helm third film Disney fired Gunn in July 2018 after offensive tweets he wrote between 2008-2012 joking about rape, child abuse, and pedophilia resurfaced in the #MeToo movement The family-friendly studio initially refused to reinstate Gunn, despite the Guardians cast - including Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldana - signing a joint statement through social media 'fully supporting' James In a shock move Disney have now re-hired Gunn to direct the third installment According to THR, Disney had never even held talks to replace Gunn, instead secretly returning to the director to make a new dealBy Lizzie Smith For Dailymail.com Published: 18:39 GMT, 15 March 2019 | Updated: 19:55 GMT, 15 March 2019 476 shares 83 Viewcomments Fired Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn has been reinstated by Disney to direct the third film in the hit franchise. The shock move comes after Disney fired Gunn in July last year after offensive tweets he wrote between 2008-2012 joking about rape, child abuse, and pedophilia resurfaced in the #MeToo movement. The family-friendly studio publicly refused to be swayed, despite the Guardians cast - including Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldana - signing a joint statement 'fully supporting' James that same month. At the helm? Guardians Of The Galaxy's sacked director James Gunn has been rehired by Disney to helm the third film Revealing the re-hire, Variety added that the move comes after a series of meetings between Gunn and Walt Disney Pictures boss Alan Horn. Indeed according to The Hollywood Reporter, Disney never even met with other potential directors, instead returning to Gunn to secretly sign the new deal. Along with directing, Gunn will be writing the screenplay for the project, now expected to be released in 2020. Following his firing last year, Gunn was snapped up by Warner Bros to write and direct The Suicide Squad sequel, starring Idris Elba, out in 2021. He will now juggle both projects. #MeToo movement: Disney fired Gunn in July after offensive tweets he wrote between 2008-2012 joking about rape, child abuse, and pedophilia resurfaced (pictured in 2015) 'We fully support James': The family-friendly studio was not at all swayed when the Guardians cast signed a joint statement of support over social media on July 30 When Gunn was fired, he issued a statement apologizing for his controversial tweets. 'My words of nearly a decade ago were, at the time, totally failed and unfortunate efforts to be provocative,' he wrote. 'I have regretted them for many years since — not just because they were stupid, not at all funny, wildly insensitive, and certainly not provocative like I had hoped, but also because they don't reflect the person I am today or have been for some time.' Support: The Guardians cast - including Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldana, seen here in the first film - signing a joint statement 'fully supporting' James Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site dailymail and under his responsibility