'GOTG' Director James Gunn Defends Chris Pratt From Critics, Says He'll Never Be Replaced

Chris Pratt hasn't had the best luck with the public, with many believing that the actor isn't deserving of all the roles he gets.

However, his "Guardians of the Galaxy" director James Gunn thinks otherwise and came to his rescue recently when the mob was ganging up against him.

On Sunday, April 24, a fan shared a side-by-side photo of Pratt and actor Patrick Wilson alongside a vile message to Marvel. The user with the handle @themeghanlodon_ wrote, "Marvel. Hear me out. Just… replace him."

The fan insinuated that the striking resemblance between Pratt and Wilson was enough to make viewers not notice the difference in the casting. The controversial tweet resonated with many and amassed over 200,000 thousand likes.

One netizen who supported the sentiment wrote, "I still maintain that there is no role that Chris Pratt has ever played that Jack Black wouldn't have played better."

Another fan added, "I personally think Chris Pine would be a much better Star-Lord, who is basically a less scrupulous Captain Kirk," while this third comment read, "I fully support more Patrick Wilson in anything!"

Amid the vitriol, however, one voice stood out in support of the Minnesota actor, and it was none other than Gunn.

Responding to @themeghanlodon_ request, the famous filmmaker wrote, "For what? Because of your made-up, utterly-false beliefs about him? For something that someone else told you about him that’s not true?"

The director, who has a plethora of superhero movies to his name, continued, "Chris Pratt would never be replaced as Star-Lord but, if he ever was, we would all be going with him."

Gunn's tweet has strongly sent Pratt's haters a message to back off as he won't be leaving the "Guardians of the Galaxy" franchise anytime soon.

Pratt often comes last in the "battles of Chris" on the internet. The 42-year-old has often been slammed for his conservative political ideologies and alleged association with the controversial Hillsong Church that participates in conversion therapy.

However, his most recent scandal involved his present wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger, and his ex-partner, Anna Faris. As The Blast reported, in November 2021, Pratt dedicated a moving tribute to Schwarzenegger in honor of her birthday.

The actor praised Schwarzenegger for being his "greatest treasure in the Instagram post."

"Find you somebody that looks at you like that!! You know!? We met in church. She’s given me an amazing life, a gorgeous healthy daughter, she chews so loudly that sometimes i put in my ear buds to drown it out, but that’s love! She helps me with everything," Pratt wrote in the caption.

However, the lengthy tribute was closely analyzed and found critical by fans who believed it was a jab at his ex-wife, Faris.

Faris and Pratt were married for nine years from 2009 to 2018 after meeting on the set of “Take Me Home Tonight" in 2007. The former couple welcomed their son Jack in 2012, but he was born prematurely, faced some health issues, and was predicted to have special needs.

Luckily, Jack has since grown to be a healthy young boy, and his parents have remained good pals. However, many believe Pratt's birthday shoutout spited his older son Jack's health condition.

The internet obliterated "The Lego Movie" star, with one fan noting, "This is literally so gross. It reads like “my new wife gave me a *healthy* child unlike you, Anna Faris. Anna and Jack deserve so much better."

In a follow-up post, Pratt admitted he was feeling "upset and depressed" about the backlash but didn't address the conclusions made about Faris.

Gunn isn't the only famous name that has publicly lauded Pratt amid the hate from many. Per The Blast, last week, actor Josh Brolin praised Pratt's selection as the lead actor for the recent "Jurassic World" franchise.

Brolin and Pratt were up against each other for the role back in 2015, with the part going to the latter. However, Brolin thinks the better choice was made.

During an appearance on the "Happy Sad Confused" podcast, Brolin shared the reason behind his thought, saying, "I could not picture me being that guy. And I’m very, very happy, based on my decision, of what Chris does with it, ’cause I think Chris is the right guy."

He also celebrated Pratt's performance as Starlord in "Guardians of the Galaxy."