WALT DISNEY STUDIOS has made the decision to fire James Gunn after a series of hugely offensive tweets he posted in 2008 and 2009 recently resurfaced.

SIPA USA / PA Images SIPA USA / PA Images / PA Images

Speaking of Gunn, who directed both Guardian of the Galaxy films, Walt Disney Studios chairman, Alan Horn, stated that the studio was not in a position to maintain a relationship with the 51-year-old filmmaker given the nature of his sentiments.

The offensive attitudes and statements discovered on James’ Twitter feed are indefensible and inconsistent with our studio’s values, and we have severed our business relationship with him.

In response, Gunn, who reportedly tweeted ‘jokes’ about paedophilia, rape, 9/11 and the Holocaust, claimed that the remarks were an attempt to be provocative and not indicative of his own feelings towards such sensitive matters.

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In a statement released yesterday, Gunn says he accepts the decision made by Walt Disney and wishes to apologise to everyone who was offended by the remarks he made online.

#WalkAway pic.twitter.com/cI8BdWxedu

— Jack Posobiec🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) July 20, 2018

The statement begins:

My words of nearly a decade ago were, at the time, totally failed and unfortunate efforts to be provocative. I have regretted them for many years since — not just because they were stupid, not at all funny, wildly insensitive, and certainly not provocative like I had hoped, but also because they don’t reflect the person I am today or have been for some time.

He continues:

Regardless of how much time has passed, I understand and accept the business decisions taken today. Even these many years later, I take full responsibility for the way I conducted myself then.

Gunn concludes the statement with a nod to the future:

All I can do now, beyond offering my sincere and heartfelt regret, is to be the best human being I can be: accepting, understanding, committed to equality, and far more thoughtful about my public statements and my obligations to our public discourse. To everyone inside my industry and beyond, I again offer my deepest apologies.

The filmmaker, who was – up until the time of his dismissal – writing the script for the third Guardian of the Galaxy film, has been credited with much of the films’ success, with the franchise having made over $1.6 billion worldwide to date.

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