Dave Bautista Blames ‘Cybernazis’ For James Gunn’s Firing
Guardians of the Galaxy star Dave Bautista has already publicly expressed support for James Gunn, but now he’s placed the blame at the “cybernazis” who unearthed the years-old offensive comments that led to the director’s firing.
Some of Gunn’s right-wing detractors uncovered the tweets about rape and pedophilia he made roughly between 2008 and 2012, shortly before he was hired to direct Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. Their finds were broadcast to a larger audience on Thursday by alt-right provocateur and conspiracy theorist Mike Cernovich, who pointed to them as evidence of “pedo network operating in Hollywood.”
RELATED: Guardians Star Michael Rooker Quits Twitter Following James Gunn’s Firing
Gunn issued an apology on Thursday night, emphasizing, “when I made these shocking jokes, I wasn’t living them out.” Nevertheless, Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn on Friday announced Gunn’s firing from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, calling his tweets “indefensible and inconsistent with our studio’s values.”
Bautista questioned what others would do if they found themselves in the cross hairs of a “cybernazi” attack, and called for redemption for Gunn, while appearing to label Disney as cowards for severing ties with the filmmaker.
“What will you do when the #cybernazis attack you?” the actor wrote. “Who will stand by you? Who will cowardly distance themselves from you? Who will punish you for horrible JOKES in the past instead of defending you for INSPIRING millions? MILLIONS!!!”
What will you do when the #cybernazis attack you? Who will stand by you? Who will cowardly distance themselves from you? Who will punish you for horrible JOKES in the past instead of defending you for INSPIRING millions? MILLIONS!!! #Redemption #injustice @JamesGunn
— Dave Bautista (@DaveBautista) July 22, 2018
A Twitter user asked in the replies whether Bautista could boycott Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 if Gunn wasn’t reinstated, to which he replied that the issue goes beyond this specific instance: “What happened here is so much bigger then G3, @JamesGunn, myself,@Disney etc. This was a #cybernazi attack that succeeded. Unless we start to unite together against this crap, whether people are offended are not! …it’s going to get much worse. And it can happen to anyone.”
What happened here is so much bigger then G3, @JamesGunn ,myself,@Disney etc. This was a #cybernazi attack that succeeded. Unless we start to unite together against this crap, whether people are offended are not! …it’s going to get much worse. And it can happen to anyone https://t.co/AMZEd0tfqb
— Dave Bautista (@DaveBautista) July 22, 2018
Although Gunn said he has accepted Disney’s decision while taking “full responsibility” for his past actions, the filmmaker has received an outpouring of support from his peers, including brother Sean Gunn and Hellboy alum Selma Blair. A fan-launched petition for Disney to rehire Gunn is closing in on 170,000 signatures.
RELATED: Chris Pratt & Zoe Saldana Break Silence On James Gunn’s Firing
