The Mouse House eventually rehired Gunn, but by that point, he’d already signed onto The Suicide Squad, making that his new priority.
Had things gone according to the original plan, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 would have been one of the MCU’s Phase Four releases, but due to Disney cutting ties with James Gunn in summer 2018, development on the threequel stalled.
Still, now that he’s back holding the Vol. 3 helming reins, Gunn is now one of only two MCU directors who oversee a trilogy in this franchise from start to finish, the other being Peyton Reed on the Ant-Man film series.