Fans put pressure on Disney to re-hire James Gunn for 'Guardians of the Galaxy 3'

James Gunn's firing from "Guardians of the Galaxy 3" continues to rankle franchise fans, who put up a billboard to declare their support for the director.

Disney fired Gunn in July after his old tweets, where he joked about rape and paedophilia, resurfaced.

The digital billboard popped up in Garden Grove, California, at an intersection just over four miles away from Disneyland in Anaheim. It reads "Save the Galaxy: James Gunn for Vol. 3, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

It was paid for via a GoFundMe campaign that has raised nearly USD 5,000 since launching last month.

The director's firing received widespread criticism, with both fans and the cast of the film unsuccessfully appealing Disney to reinstate him.

Gunn has moved on and has been hired by Warner Bros to write a sequel to "Suicide Squad", which he may also direct.

(With inputs from agencies.)