All good things must come to an end, and that includes James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. The director has revealed that the upcoming Marvel Studios film will mark the end for the group.
Gunn has been collaborating with Marvel Studios for nearly a decade, as he first hopped on board with the MCU back in 2014 to direct the smash hit Guardians of the Galaxy. That film changed the landscape of the MCU in the best way possible, as it opened new doors to otherworldly characters and places and really expanded the cinematic universe on a cosmic level.
Speaking with Deadline's Hero Nation podcast about his Peacemaker success and all things Marvel, Gunn revealed that the third entry in the Guardians of the Galaxy series will be the last outing for him and the rest of the cast. "This is the end for us, the last time people will see this team of Guardians," Gunn said. "It's big; it's so big and dark, and different from what people might be expecting it to be. I just want to be true to the characters, the story, and give people the wrap-up they deserve for the story. That's always a little bit scary; I'm doing my best." When asked about his knowledge of third movies tending to be the weakest in many trilogies (Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, The Dark Knight Rises, Spider-Man 3), Gunn responded, "I'm aware [...] that the third film in most trilogies sucks. Not always."
After receiving critical acclaim for his work on both of the Guardians films, it was a no-brainer that Gunn would return for a third. But after Disney parted ways with Gunn back in 2018 over old tweets about controversial topics, many fans were uncertain when and if a new Guardians film would even come to be. Now following his sincere apologies as well as his return to the superhero genre with DC's The Suicide Squad, Gunn is gearing up to deliver one epic finale.
While not too many details have been announced, a big focus of the film will be on Adam Warlock, a character who was teased in Vol. 2's end credits scene. In addition, it looks like newcomer Chukwudi Iwuji will play a pivotal role in the film, as rumors have been circulating that he could play the role of High Evolutionary, a powerful villain with ties to Warlock.
While the film is not expected to release until next year, Gunn's Peacemaker spin-off series for HBO Max and his Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special should keep plenty of fans satisfied. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will star Chris Pratt as Peter Quill / Star-Lord, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Bradley Cooper as Rocket, Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer, Vin Diesel as Groot, Pom Klementieff as Mantis, Will Poulter as Adam Warlock, Elizabeth Debicki as Ayesha, and Sean Gunn as Kraglin Obfonteri.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is set to hit theaters on May 5, 2023.
Source: Deadline