Taika Waititi will not direct 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3'

Feb. 5 (UPI) -- Filmmaker Taika Waititi has confirmed that he will not direct Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 following the firing of series helmer James Gunn.

"Nope. Not doing that movie," Waititi, who directed Marvel's Thor: Ragnarok, told reporters on Monday at the Television Critics Association press tour.

"For me, that's James' film," he continued. "Going into something like that, which has got his stamp all over it, it would feel like going into someone's house and saying 'Hey, I'm your new dad.'"

Waititi also said he has continued to have a relationship with Marvel and wants to make another film for the comic book brand.

Gunn was fired by Disney from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in July after a number of offensive tweets he posted from 2008 to 2009 resurfaced. The tweets, which featured Gunn joking about pedophilia and sexual assault, made the rounds online after they were highlighted by conservative blogs.

Gunn has switched over to Warner Bros. and DC Comics and is set to write and direct a new Suicide Squad film titled The Suicide Squad which will arrive in theaters on Aug. 6, 2021.

Waititi, who was on hand at the Television Critics Association press tour to promote FX's adaptation of his film What We Do in the Shadows, also discussed Marvel's Avengers: Endgame.

"I haven't seen it, so I don't know even what happens. They keep their cards so close to their chests," he told USA Today.

"But from what I've heard, it wraps up everything in a really great way. It feels like the fans are getting rewarded for hanging around for 10 years and watching all these films. Because the more you know about the characters and the stories and stuff, the more satisfying this film will be."

Avengers: Endgame is set to arrive in theaters on April 26.