Adam McKay Spoke to Marvel About Replacing James Gunn on ‘Guardians Vol. 3’
Zack Sharf
During an interview on MTV’s “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, writer-director Adam McKay confirmed he has spoken to Marvel about replacing James Gunn as the director of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.” McKay did not elaborate on the meeting further. When podcast host Josh Horowitz mentioned McKay’s name had to have been on the shortlist of “Guardians Vol. 3” replacement directors, McKay responded, “We have talked a little bit, yeah. We’re always kind of talking. I think Feige is just the greatest.”
McKay said he “grew up on Marvel” and already had a positive experience working in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. When original “Ant-Man” director Edgar Wright stepped away from the project over creative differences, star Paul Rudd brought McKay on board to help him polish Wright and Joe Cornish’s first script. McKay said he “really enjoyed working with Marvel and Feige on ‘Ant-Man'” and that he would “definitely go back there and work again.”
Whether or not “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” is the project that reunites McKay and the Marvel Cinematic Universe remains to be seen, but McKay has at least one project in mind that he knows would definitely bring him on board: A Silver Surfer movie.
“I would do anything to do Silver Surfer because visually you could do what the Wachowskis did with ‘Speed Racer’ with Silver Surfer, yet at the same time there’s a great emotional story in there, where the guy has to make the choice to save his planet,” McKay said. “Norrin Radd has to save his planet — that would be the one.”
The “Fantastic Four” movies have been produced and distributed by 20th Century Fox, which is why they have yet to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, with the Disney-Fox merger taking place in 2019, characters from the “Fantastic Four” comics, including Silver Surfer, will be up grabs.
As for “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” Marvel has remained tight lipped on updates since putting production on hiatus earlier this year. Gunn was fired from the movie over the summer after controversial jokes made on Twitter resurfaced. The project was originally going to be released in 2020, but the date is now up in the air.
