Marvel Director Calls Out Disney, Admits Company Made Massive Mistake

Guardians of the Galaxy, a franchise within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), has captured the hearts of audiences with its unique blend of humor, action, and cosmic spectacle. Helmed by director James Gunn, this space-faring saga has carved out a distinct niche within the expansive MCU, introducing a colorful cast of characters and exploring the far reaches of the cosmos.

The franchise’s inaugural installment, Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), was a departure from the traditional superhero formula. Centered around a group of misfits and outlaws who find themselves united by circumstance, the film embraced its irreverent spirit and retro soundtrack, earning acclaim for its unexpected charm.

Chris Pratt‘s portrayal of Peter Quill, or Star-Lord, a human scavenger with a penchant for ’80s nostalgia, anchored the group of eclectic personalities that included a green-skinned assassin, Gamora (played by Zoe Saldana), the hulking Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista), the genetically modified raccoon Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper), and the sentient tree-like being Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel).

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) delved deeper into the characters’ backgrounds and relationships, exploring themes of family, identity, and personal growth. The film expanded the cosmic canvas, introducing new locales and challenges while maintaining the humor and heart that endeared audiences to the Guardians.

Just a few months ago, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) hit theaters.  After a highly successful theatrical run, which amassed a global box office revenue of $845.4 million, the movie became available on the streaming service’s library on August 2. Following its streaming premiere on Disney+, director James Gunn has raised concerns about an error made by the streaming platform.

During its inaugural week on the platform, James Gunn’s third installment in the series outperformed The Super Mario Bros. Movie in terms of streaming metrics, securing the title of the most-watched film on any streaming service. Of course, it should be noted that the animated film made by Universal Pictures and Illumination outpaced Guardians at the box office, bringing in an astounding $1.36 billion. Both of the films had Chris Pratt as their head star.

Upon its release on Disney+, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was presented with an IMAX aspect ratio option. However, Gunn acknowledged that his personal preference for viewing the film at home is the traditional widescreen format.

On Threads, a new social media platform by Meta, a fan recently pointed out an issue with the preview of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in IMAX ratio on Disney+. The fan noted that the preview was merely a cropped version of the widescreen shot. James Gunn confirmed and concurred that the representation was inaccurate.

In fact, the thumbnails for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 on Disney+ were also inaccurate. Gunn went on to explain that the IMAX version provides a different viewing experience, as it includes additional content at the top and bottom, and is not a cropped rendition, reports from The Direct indicate.

Gunn’s precise words were, “Yes, the IMAX version isn’t cropped. It features all-new content at the top and bottom.”

Marvel Studios’ VFX supervisor, Stephane Ceretti, also joined the discussion through X (formerly known as Twitter) and pointed out the thumbnail discrepancy on Disney+. He expressed that the thumbnails were incorrect and criticized the streaming platform for assigning the thumbnail task to a graphic artist who lacked expertise in Photoshop. Ceretti emphasized the importance of accurately showcasing the IMAX format instead of resorting to inaccurate representations.

Of course, this doesn’t stop viewers from watching the new film and fans from hoping that a fourth installment of the franchise could one day make its way to the big screen. While Disney hasn’t completely put that notion away, overwhelming reports indicate that it could be quite a while— if ever– before we got a Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol 4.

What MCU sequel would you most like to see happen? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments!