James Gunn Slaps Down ‘Racist Presumptions’ About ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Cast

Filmmaker James Gunn has clapped back after armchair critics came for the increased diversity in the latest Guardians of the Galaxy film.

Gunn, the co-CEO of DC Studios, was excited to share a sneak peek this week of the franchise’s third installment with Nigerian-British actor Chukwudi Iwuji playing the role of villain High Evolutionary.

“Can’t wait for you all to meet this guy. #GotGVol3 #HighEvolutionary,” Gunn posted on both Twitter and Instagram on March 6.

Along with the caption, Gunn included a picture of Iwuji in heavy prosthetics, gearing up to play the character in the Marvel movie.

Of course, some people were nit-picky about the diverse casting choice.

“Damnit... another white guy they made into a black guy,” one user commented under the Instagram post.

“Why couldn't they just leave him white or i dont know...pick a different minority? How about Asian or gasp! A Latino?(how many Latinos and Asians in MCU? Like total of 5??)” the Instagram user rambled. “Or make him an Indian or something... because they don't and won't, that makes them ‘woke’. Next time, a major character (hero/villain)will be a trans or homosexual or non-binary (when in comics they are not). Sad and pathetic. They're picking based on race and whats PC and not on acting and whats established.”

But Gunn read the social media user to filth.

“I chose the best actor, period, and the best person for the role. I don’t give a shit what ethnicity @chukwudi_iwuji is,” Gunn replied, receiving an abundance of praise under the response. “So stop with your racist presumptions on WHY he was chosen. (And, by the way, he’s playing a guy who’s almost always purple in the color.)”

According to outlet Games Radar, Marvel Comics introduced High Evolutionary as a character in 1966. A character, as in, not a real person. All that was pertinent to High Evolutionary was that he was a geneticist who experimented on human-animal hybrids. The scientist eventually moved to another planet where he continued his research, eventually conducting the project on himself—something that is not deemed white-exclusive or Black-exempt.

The Guardians of the Galaxy hoshposh is just the latest uproar after Black actors have been hired to play make-believe characters. Yara Shahidi received backlash as Tinker Bell when a trailer for Peter Pan and Wendy came out at the end of February. And in September, bigots huffed online after the first trailer of The Little Mermaid featuring singer-actress Halle Bailey was released. People were also mad last summer when Moses Ingram played Reva in the Star Wars spin-off Obi-Wan Kenobi.

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However others chimed in to echo Gunn’s defense of Iwuji this week.

“Bro in a universe where characters are white black green red blue pink you got mad because one is black?” a social media user questioned.

Another user brought up Jonathan Majors’ portrayal of Marvel villain Kang the Conqueror, adding, “As long as the character is compelling [it’s] perfect.”

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