Warner Bros. wilt James Gunn graag hebben

RDJ134 9 augustus 2018 om 01:10 uur

Vorige maand werd James Gunn zou uit het niets ontslagen door Disney, omdat hij een kleine negen jaar geleden op Twitter wat onsmakelijke opmerkingen had gemaakt. Dit zorgde voor een hoop ophef online en ook de cast van de Guardians of the Galaxy hebben de kant gekozen van James Gunn en dreigt Dave Bautista (die de rol van Drax The Destroyer speelt) zelfs met opstappen als de regisseur niet terugkeert. Maar hij is voglens de website The Hollywood Reporter nog steeds in onderhandeling met Disney over zijn afkoop premie en het script van de derde film.

Maar wie nu denkt dat James Gunn een ongewenst persoon is geworden in Hollywood heeft het mis. Want diverse film studio's hebben al interesse in hem getoond (niet vreemd aangezien de GOTG films miljarden opleverde) en met name Warner Bros. die al een tijdje lopen te kloten met hun DC Comics films. willen nu heel erg graag met hem werken. Dus het laatste is hier nog lang niet over gezegd.



"I'd work with him in a heartbeat," says one senior executive at a rival studio. Like the dozen or so execs and producers THR spoke with, this exec asked to remain anonymous because Gunn is not permitted to entertain other offers while his negotiation to exit Disney is ongoing.

"I've been advised that we can't bring anything to him until the Disney matter is 100 percent resolved," says another studio executive. Major players said to be interested in Gunn's services run the gamut from studios, including Warner Bros., which has its Disney/Marvel rival superhero movies via DC Entertainment, and high-profile and Oscar-winning producers.

Multiple sources say that Gunn, represented by UTA and attorney Andrew Hurwitz, remains locked in complicated negotiations with Disney over his exit settlement. Gunn has written the script for Guardians 3 and was to have directed the third installment of a franchise whose first two entries (also written and directed by him) grossed $773 million and $863 million, respectively.

Sources say that Gunn, while under contract for the third movie, likely was not "pay or play," a status that would require Disney to pay him his full fee regardless of whether his services are actually used. Filmmakers typically reach pay-or-play status when a movie is officially greenlit or eight weeks prior to the start of production, neither of which had occurred. But Gunn is not said to have breached his contract because the offensive tweets were sent years before he first signed with Disney's Marvel Studios.

Some experienced talent reps estimate that due to the unique situation, Gunn could receive a payout of $7 million to $10 million, if not potentially higher. And, more importantly, he would be free to take on another project immediately. Also affecting the negotiations is that sources say Disney plans on using Gunn's script for the third movie.

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