The Marvel Cinematic Multiverse

[Neon Ignition]

It's the post #Metoo swing effect. It's not that the outcry about behaviour in Hollywood is wrong, just that they have little idea on how to deal with things so as they're all so desperate to keep themselves clean in any scandal we're reaching the point where they're irrational in their responses and the measuring stick will swing too far the wrong way. After the criticism Disney took during dealing softly with Lassetter and with their high profile merger lining up, Gunn has likely been thrown to the wolves.

Given the context here I'd be fine with Disney rehiring him but if Warners/DC has any sense about them they'll be sweeping in quickly.

[Neon Ignition]

http://www.darkhorizons.com/marvels-cloak-dagger-scores-a-renewal/

Cloak and Dagger has been granted a Season 2

[Dogg Thang]

It's the post #Metoo swing effect. It's not that the outcry about behaviour in Hollywood is wrong, just that they have little idea on how to deal with things so as they're all so desperate to keep themselves clean in any scandal we're reaching the point where they're irrational in their responses and the measuring stick will swing too far the wrong way.

And yet aren't they still hiring Depp?

Prinny, you're spot on - if it weren't for the content of the tweets themselves, it would be very clear for me: this is wrong. And even with the content of the tweets, I think that is wrong when taking into account the sequence of events (the tweets are no worse now than they were six years ago when they came out the first time). But the tweets are awful, they were made by a guy in his 40s so he doesn't even have youth on his side. We all have said awful stuff I'm sure (I know I have) but not quite that. But like I say, this played out six years ago. They have been dredged up now for the worst reasons and it sends a poor message that Disney caved and fired him.

[QualityChimp]

When it's Trump saying "Grab 'em by the pussy" many years ago, it's easy to rage, because of everything Trump is (and probably still means it).

When it's a director of a film we've all enjoyed, it's less clear cut.

Personally, I think it would have been more progressive of Disney to say "we've addressed this previously, we acknowledge these Tweets were in very bad taste, but we like to think people can change, mature and progress."

I also don't like how one person can wage a hate campaign for purely spiteful reasons.
It's not like he's outed a paedophile, he's outed somebody who, ten years ago, didn't understand the trauma it causes.

I'm just glad that I went to University just before mobile phone cameras became ubiquitous.

[prinnysquad]

I see what you’re saying Chimpleton. Maybe there’s hypocrisy there too. Trump is a thunderflaps, so when he made a stupid comment in days gone by, there’s rage. I didn’t really react like that - I just rolled my eyes and thought ‘knob’, much as I did when I read those tweets. Similarly, though, he’s had those comments outed, ridden the storm, and enough people didn’t think it important enough for him to lose the candidacy (or whatever it was he was going for when they were dredged up). James Gunn has already faced trial by social media. Nobody gave a toss when he was a nobody. Now he’s a somebody, Disney have shat their pants. It’s double standards of the worse kind.

[QualityChimp]

trial by social media.

That's it, right there.

I'm not disagreeing with you, I just mean the knee-jerk reaction is to automatically criticise Trump, but defend Gunn and we should look further for a balanced opinion.

I know Disney are onto a good thing with each subsequent Marvel film beating its predecessor on box office takings and making billions, but would retaining Gunn be the thing that made moviegoers say "Oh, I couldn't possibly see the film he made. I've already burned my Guardians 1&2 Blu-Ray boxset."?

It is double-standards, and the House of Mouse should be fully aware that people can have a chequered history, but a desire to learn and improve themselves!

[Dogg Thang]

I'm not disagreeing with you, I just mean the knee-jerk reaction is to automatically criticise Trump, but defend Gunn and we should look further for a balanced opinion.

This is definitely a factor - we want Gunn to be better. But it's just one factor. It's an easy thing to show that Trump is an endless repeat offender and, if anything, worse things get revealed every week and his behaviour speaks for itself. Gunn on the other hand, it's hard to find much of a negative story in the last six years and there is little to show that he hasn't grown as a person or at least cut out the offensive stuff in public. So I don't think it's a case that these are the same but we go for Trump and defend Gunn.

There are other people we wanted to defend (Cosby for me) but we didn't. We didn't even attempt to. Well, some people somewhere probably did but I don't think most people did. I didn't.

[Neon Ignition]

With Disney, as with other companies, it's the 'only as bad as your last scandal' measuring device. Depp carries so much baggage at this point but I think the last flare up around him was pre-Me Too and since then he's been working on Warners Harry Potter film meaning Disney can conveniently cash in on Depp's likeness for Pirates etc without going back and addressing it. It's like the first Me Too kick off was time stamped and that date onwards only counts for scandals. A poor way at changing things but reflective of the industry - more likely to fire someone for decade old tweets fussed about now than fire someone for poor conduct done a year ago that isn't currently in the press I'd imagine.

[QualityChimp]

There are other people we wanted to defend (Cosby for me) but we didn't. We didn't even attempt to. Well, some people somewhere probably did but I don't think most people did. I didn't.

It's funny you mention Cosby as there's this funny meme:




Yet, here's Disney, hiring Ice Cube to do a modern remake of Oliver Twist, but Cube is still rapping the likes of "**** The Police" in his live sets. Double-standards.

[QualityChimp]

It's interesting to see people rallying around Gunn in support.

Dave Bautista, Zoe Soldana, Sean Gunn (Kraglin and James' brother), Karen Gillan, Chris Pratt and Michael Rooker (who has quit Twitter in response) have all come out in support.

Selma Blair has Tweeted about a petition to have Gunn reinstated, and said stated pretty succinctly:
"Because if people are punished despite changing, then what does that teach people about owning mistakes and evolving? This man is one of the good ones."

It'll be interesting to see if there's any kind of strike action by the stars or if they're contracted up to the eyeballs.

[Dogg Thang]

And this support has been pretty rare for others in all this MeToo stuff so I think it's very telling.

[Neon Ignition]

Exactly, they have to be able to review context and not just knee jerk respond to be simply seen to be acknowledging something and in this case it seems Disney have jumped the gun(n) far too quick

[Neon Ignition]

http://www.darkhorizons.com/director-explains-lack-of-venom-white-spider/

Venom continues its leaning towards keeping Spider-Man completely out of the picture. The lack of white spider image on his chest is confirmed to be because the webslinger isn't involved in any way in Venom's genesis, the new pattern being there just so the character is visible in night scenes.

[Paddy]

It's interesting to see people rallying around Gunn in support.

Dave Bautista, Zoe Soldana, Sean Gunn (Kraglin and James' brother), Karen Gillan, Chris Pratt and Michael Rooker (who has quit Twitter in response) have all come out in support.

Selma Blair has Tweeted about a petition to have Gunn reinstated, and said stated pretty succinctly:
"Because if people are punished despite changing, then what does that teach people about owning mistakes and evolving? This man is one of the good ones."

It'll be interesting to see if there's any kind of strike action by the stars or if they're contracted up to the eyeballs.

Its good to see solidarity from the actors Gunn has worked with. Blair also makes a valid point about the message that is sent if people aren't allowed to learn from their mistakes (if we're going to take that approach, should we look at the controversial history of the guy the house of mouse is named after then?)

[Neon Ignition]

https://variety.com/2018/biz/news/21st-century-fox-disney-merger-shareholder-vote-1202888023/

Fox shareholders have completed their vote and the result was in favour of the merger. The merger is expected to be complete within 12 months... get ready folks...!!