UPDATE 8/8/18: New sources are now claiming that Gunn's script has not, in fact, been scrapped and that there is a good chance his script will be used in some form for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

Marvel may be going an entirely different direction with Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 now without original filmmaker James Gunn.

According to Christopher Marc, editor-in-chief of entertainment news site Omega Underground, the studio may be scrapping the script for the Marvel Cinematic Universe sequel entirely in favor of developing the project without Gunn's involvement at all. As the film was originally scheduled to begin principal photography in January, this would likely lead to a massive production delay for the eagerly anticipated sequel.

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Gunn was fired from the project last month after offensive tweets from the writer-director originally posted in 2010 surfaced online. Since then, Disney and Marvel had stayed silent on their plans for the franchise while the cast of the previous two Guardians of the Galaxy films rallied their support for Gunn's reinstatement on the production.

If Gunn's script has indeed been scrapped, it will be the first Guardians film without the filmmaker's input at all. He had heavily rewritten and directed the original 2014 film, and wrote and directed its 2017 follow-up. The dropped script would also appear to confirm the studio has no plans to reinstate the director.

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With the production presumably delayed, this will also leave a significant gap in Marvel Studios' production schedule with Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 expected to begin filming in Atlanta following post-production work on both next year's Captain Marvel and Spider-Man: Far from Home.