James Gunn, the director the first two “Guardians of the Galaxy” movies, is firing back at critics trying to cancel Marvel Cinematic Universe star Chris Pratt, seemingly due simply to his Christian faith.
“For what?” Gunn asked a Twitter user calling on the MCU, owned by The Walt Disney Company, to replace Pratt in the film franchise. “Because of your made-up, utterly-false beliefs about him? For something that someone else told you about him that’s not true? Chris Pratt would never be replaced as Star-Lord but, if he ever was, we would all be going with him.”
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The on-again, off-again criticism of Pratt has returned amid the release of the trailer for the upcoming MCU film “Thor: Love and Thunder.”
As CBN’s Faithwire previously reported, in the one-and-a-half-minute trailer, there is a moment when Star-Lord — played by Pratt — gives his team a pep talk, encouraging them to “look into the eyes of the people that you love” whenever they feel they have lost their way. After the comment, Thor — played by Chris Hemsworth — stares intensely into Star-Lord’s eyes.
The clip prompted many on social media to recollect Star-Lord, whose character name is Peter Quill, was depicted as bisexual in a 2020 installment of the “Guardians of the Galaxy” comic book.
It’s worth noting that, despite facing intense condemnation based on assumptions made over the years, Pratt has never once addressed his views on sexuality or politics. He has simply stated he is Christian and attends church.
Much of the criticism stems from 2019, when “Juno” star Ellen Page — who now identifies as a transgender male and goes by the name Elliot — rebuked Pratt for attending Zoe Church in Los Angeles. The church’s lead pastor, Chad Veach, teaches a biblical view of sexuality. As a result, Page panned Pratt for attending worship services at a church she described as “infamously anti-LGBTQ.”
At the time, Pratt simply said: “I go to a church that opens their doors to absolutely everyone.”
As the above tweet shows, some are calling on Pratt to be replaced with “Aquaman” star Patrick Wilson.
Some are confused, though, about the push to sideline Pratt, noting he has not publicly done or said anything that could truly be seen as cancel-worthy.
“Wait, why?” one Twitter user replied to the tweet calling for Pratt’s replacement. “I’m so lost. Everyone loved him a few years ago then you guys found out he went to church and that’s it?”
Oliver Jia, social media editor for NK News, tweeted last week that people “have been attempting to cancel Chris Pratt for years based on nothing,” adding, “There is zero evidence to suggest he holds any kind of homophobic or bigoted views. You’re trying to cancel someone who doesn’t exist.”
Jia noted that, in the current cultural climate, people like Pratt can be shunned “purely on rumors, speculation, or literally made up scenarios and no one will question it.”
Pratt is not the only MCU star to draw leftist ire.
In late January, “Ant-Man and the Wasp” actor Evangeline Lilly faced backlash from progressives when she asserted people should not be forced to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. She even attended an anti-mandate rally in Washington, D.C.
“I believe nobody should ever be forced to inject their body with anything, against their will … under any threat whatsoever,” Lilly wrote in an Instagram post alongside photos from the protest. “This is not the way.”
The former “Lost” star, who was raised Christian, said such tactics are “not safe” and “not healthy.”
“This is not love,” wrote Lilly. “I understand the world is in fear, but I don’t believe that answering fear with force will fix our problems.”
You can read more about her views here.
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