I’m Absolutely Here for James Gunn Dragging Fake Casting Rumors

When it comes to “sources” on information, there are lots of outlets out there just making stuff up about our favorite geek properties to get clicks. Personally, I just label their news as “online rumors” if I want to talk about what they put into the world and move on with my life. Recently, the phenomenon struck again with some Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 casting rumors, and luckily James Gunn was not here for it.

Illuminerdi doubled-down on their “source” despite the fact that Gunn proved them wrong and he, yet again, called them out.

Celebrities joined in to make jokes about the “Zac Efron”-type casting.

What’s sad is that this is what it has come to. For years, we’ve had to listen to a variety of sources push lies into the internet and people take them as truth. Despite the constant pleas from fans and other reporters alike, these false rumors are still taken as fact and over and over again, and we have to watch the internet get excited or angry about something that isn’t true.

So I’m glad Gunn called it out and I hope that it’ll maybe stop people from looking to these outlets as their sources. Look, I get it. We want news to happen or sometimes we hear something and we want it to be true. If I were particularly unscrupulous, I’d constantly be pushing the “news” that Pedro Pascal was going to be Kraven the Hunter to try and force it to become a reality, but alas, I prefer to keep my personal wants and theories as just that.

I don’t think creatives should have to log online and defend themselves against false production rumors, but it’s the reality of online culture. They thrive on the internet jumping on the bandwagon of whatever they’re falsely pushing out and they thrive in it. We need to be better about looking at who is spreading these rumors and recognizing that we can’t trust sites like them to give us “exclusive” news on the film industry.

(image: Anthony Harvey/Getty Images)

Want more stories like this? Become a subscriber and support the site!

 —The Mary Sue has a strict comment policy that forbids, but is not limited to, personal insults toward anyone, hate speech, and trolling.—

Have a tip we should know? tips@themarysue.com

Author

Close

Rachel Leishman

Assistant Editor

Rachel Leishman (She/Her) is an Assistant Editor at the Mary Sue. She's been a writer professionally since 2016 but was always obsessed with movies and television and writing about them growing up. A lover of Spider-Man and Wanda Maximoff's biggest defender, she has interests in all things nerdy and a cat named Benjamin Wyatt the cat. If you want to talk classic rock music or all things Harrison Ford, she's your girl but her interests span far and wide. Yes, she knows she looks like Florence Pugh. She has multiple podcasts, normally has opinions on any bit of pop culture, and can tell you can actors entire filmography off the top of her head. Her current obsession is Glen Powell's dog, Brisket. Her work at the Mary Sue often includes Star Wars, Marvel, DC, movie reviews, and interviews.

twitter youtube Link to www.themarysue.com