Chris Pratt is ‘thrilled’ that James Gunn will direct Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Chris Pratt is happy to have James Gunn back in the director’s chair for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

With James Gunn back at the helm, Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is officially back on track, and both the fans and stars of the series couldn’t be happier. Several Guardians actors have spoken on Gunn’s rehiring and, now, Chris Pratt is the latest to do so.

Pratt recently told People that he is “thrilled” to have Gunn back on as director, and he firmly believes Disney made the right decision rehiring him. He also thinks the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy will benefit from it:

"“I was so thrilled, so excited. I think it’s the right move, I really stand behind it. I’m really proud of Disney for hiring James back and ultimately thrilled for not only us, but also for the fans. I think it’s going to wrap up the trilogy in the best way.”"

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As most know by now, Gunn was originally fired from the project last summer after old tweets were unearthed, in which the director joked about topics like pedophilia. Gunn had previously acknowledged and apologized for the tweets before they resurfaced in the news. He was, however, reinstated by Walt Disney Studios after he had several meetings with studio head Alan Horn, who was impressed with how the director handled the situation.

Gunn is known for forging strong relationships with his actors, and the main Guardians cast soon came to his defense following his initial firing. They even released a public letter expressing their hope that Disney would retain him.

Pratt, in particular, has praised Gunn’s work on the Guardians films, citing his unique direction as a major reason for the film’s success. With this, the actor’s loyalty doesn’t come as too much of a surprise. And it’s hard to deny the creative impact Gunn has had on that series of films and the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a whole.

It’s going to be a little while before Gunn re-enters the MCU, as he’ll be directing The Suicide Squad for Warner Bros. and DC first. But when he does reunite with his actors, he’ll no doubt be ready for the Guardians’ final adventure.