'Guardians' Actor Dave Bautista "Not Okay" With James Gunn Firing

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On Friday, surprise news arrived: filmmaker James Gunn would no longer be working for Disney Studios or the “Guardians of The Galaxy” franchise after controversial tweets resurfaced, from almost a decade ago. Following this story, ‘Guardians’ actor and friend of Gunn, Dave Bautista, who plays Drax in the Marvel films, has come to the filmmaker’s defense saying he is “not okay” with the director’s dismissal.

“I will have more to say but for right now all I will say is this..@JamesGunn is one of the most loving, caring, good natured people I have ever met,” tweeted Bautista on Friday night. “He’s gentle and kind and cares deeply for people and animals. He’s made mistakes. We all have. I’m NOT ok with what’s happening to him.”

READ MORE: James Gunn Issues Statement About ‘Guardians’ Firing: “I Accept” Disney’s Decision

Bautista is the first of the “Guardians of the Galaxy” cast to comment on the situation. The wrestler-turned-actor became more of a household name after breaking into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the first ‘Guardians’ film in 2014.

Prior to the firing, Gunn had addressed the tweets on Thursday, explaining that he viewed himself as a “provocateur” and told jokes that were “outrageous and taboo.” “As I have discussed publicly many times, as I’ve developed as a person, so has my work and my humor,” Gunn tweeted.

The news of Gunn’s firing came a day after news of Amy Powell’s firing as head of Paramount Television for allegedly making racially insensitive comments. Situations such as these raise the question, as the world becomes more politically correct, is there less room for growth and change?

I’m not saying that either of the abrupt dismissals made by the studios involved was the wrong decision. However, I feel consistency is vital in situations like this, and it makes me wonder, with Johnny Depp still on Disney’s payroll, what constitutes firing and what constitutes a reprimand and chance to apologize?

It was a bold and admirable move for Bautista to come to Gunn’s defense, and it will be interesting to see what else the actor has to say given his tease for more. Will any of the other ‘Guardians’ cast members speak out? Or will fear of Disney repercussion prevent them from saying anything. It should be noted Chris Pratt was silent today at the “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part” panel at Comic-Con, but to be fair, he wasn’t asked and it’s not exactly the right forum.