Chris Pratt said he’s “thrilled” director James Gunn was brought back to do the final film in the “Guardians of the Galaxy” franchise after he had been fired by Disney.
“I was so thrilled, so excited. I think it’s the right move, I really stand behind it,” the 39-year-old actor shared during an “Avengers: Endgame” premiere, per People magazine Tuesday. (RELATED: Selma Blair Pleads With Disney To Rehire James Gunn: ‘This Man Is One Of The Good Ones’)
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“I’m really proud of Disney for hiring James back and ultimately thrilled for not only us, but also for the fans,” he added. “I think it’s going to wrap up the trilogy in the best way.” (RELATED: Chris Pratt Visits Military Members For Film Screening, Continues To Be Awesome [PHOTOS])
Pratt continued, “And Guardians of the Galaxy are really all about second chances and giving people an opportunity to be their best. We’re a ragtag squad of people coming together and having each other’s back. I think it really worked out the way it was supposed to, and I feel good about it.”
It comes following reports in March that Disney had reversed course and hired Gunn back to direct the highly-anticipated finale in the Marvel trilogy after initially announcing that he had been fired last July from the project after old tweets resurfaced that appeared homophobic, racist and pro-pedophilia.
As previously reported, Pratt and his fellow cast members sent out a joint statement last year pleading that the director be reinstated and voicing their full “support for Gunn.”
“We fully support James Gunn,” the statement read. “We were all shocked by his abrupt firing last week and have intentionally waited these ten days to respond in order to think, pray, listen, and discuss. In that time, we’ve been encouraged by the outpouring of support from fans and members of the media who wish to see James reinstated as director of Volume 3 as well as discouraged by those so easily duped into believing the many outlandish conspiracies surrounding him.”
Cast members Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Pom Klementieff, Chris Pratt, Kurt Russell, Karen Gillan, director James Gunn… in London, Britain, April 24, 2017. REUTERS/Hannah McKay
“Being in the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ movies has been a great honor in each of our lives. We cannot let this moment pass without expressing our love, support, and gratitude for James,” it added. “We are not here to defend his jokes of many years ago but rather to share our experience having spent many years together on set making Guardians of the Galaxy 1 and 2.”
The statement concluded, “The character he has shown in the way of his firing is consistent with the man he was every day on set, and his apology, now and from years ago when first addressing these remarks, we believe is from the heart, a heart we all know, trust, and love. In casting each of us to help him tell the story of misfits who find redemption, he changed our lives forever. We believe the theme of redemption has never been more relevant than now.”