Despite featuring lesser-known characters, an outer space setting, and a more heavily comedic tone, Guardians of the Galaxy was an unexpected hit. Since the first movie was released in 2014, it has been one of the most beloved franchises within the MCU. The films have made household names of the stars who weren't already well known and garnered great loyalty for director and screenwriter James Gunn.
According to Gunn, Guardians of the Galaxy 3 will start filming sometime in 2021, although no exact date was given. He has also said that this film is likely to be the last Guardians of the Galaxy film, at least, with the current cast and his involvement. Little is known about Guardians of the Galaxy 3. Gunn has teased that there will be a major arc for Rocket Raccoon and more of Mantis. There have also been rumors about the inclusion of Adam Warlock, a character who was teased at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy 2.
With the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy wrapping up, this leads to questions as to what will be happening in the next Marvel phase. It's hard to speculate on where the characters could go moving forward with so little known about the content of Guardians of the Galaxy 3 itself. However, outside the world of the films, there is a move Marvel could make following Guardians of the Galaxy 3; bring director James Gunn on to helm a Young Avengers movie.
The Young Avengers are a superhero team who first debuted in Marvel Comics in their own series in 2005. They are a group made up of teenage and young adult heroes, most of whom have some kind of connection to established members of the Avengers. There are several original members as well as recurring characters and members who join the group later on. They battle some major Marvel Universe villains, including Kang the Conqueror, who will soon be seen in the MCU in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
Many of the Young Avengers are being introduced to the MCU in the next phase. The Disney Plus series Hawkeye is introducing Kate Bishop, one of the main Young Avengers who has Hawkeye as her mentor. Played by Hailee Steinfeld, Kate will be one of the lead characters of the television series, which could indicate big plans for her going forward. Scott Lang's daughter, Cassie Lang, is also a member of the Young Avengers, going by Stature and later Stinger. She has been recast for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania now that she will be playing a bigger role in the MCU, which could include a stint in a Young Avengers movie in the future.
Eli Bradley, one of the original members of the Young Avengers who goes by Patriot, was briefly introduced in a recent episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. As of writing, it's unclear how much of his story will unfold in the series, but he was specifically named in the closing credits of the episode. Two other major characters, Billy (Wiccan) and Tommy (Speed) were introduced in WandaVision, with the post-credits scene of the show suggesting they will be returning in the future. Last seen as ten year olds, Billy and Tommy would have to be aged up in order to be part of the Young Avengers, but this is definitely not impossible in the MCU.
Young Avengers member America Chavez will be part of Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, played by young actress Xochitl Gomez. Other characters have not been confirmed but could easily be introduced in upcoming projects, such as Kid Loki in Loki or Hulking in She-Hulk or Captain Marvel 2. While not Young Avengers members in the comics, Ms. Marvel and Ironheart are both relatively younger characters getting their own Disney Plus shows who would be easy to integrate into a Young Avengers film.
So why should James Gunn be the one to lead a movie featuring all or some of these characters? He has proven himself capable of managing a film where a lot of characters with individual backstories, powers, and personalities need to work together. A Young Avengers movie would likely have to introduce believable and entertaining dynamics between by-then-established characters who audiences have never seen interact before. Gunn could take his experience helming Guardians of the Galaxy films to create dynamics that are fun and interesting.
A Young Avengers movie would feature a younger main cast than many major MCU films, including the Guardians of the Galaxy movies. However, Gunn could still bring elements he brought to those films to Young Avengers. A movie with a younger cast could benefit from a more heavily comedic tone. With the Guardians movies, Gunn has proven skilled at maintaining a more comedic tone while also capably handling legitimate emotional beats and major stakes when necessary. Additionally, a similar memorable and interesting use of music could be integrated into a Young Avengers film, perhaps one emphasizing the youth of its characters. A familiar director for a Young Avengers movie could also help promote interest in the film, as well as connect it stylistically to other projects in the MCU.
James Gunn will likely be spending 2021 and 2022 wrapped up in filming, post-production, and promotion for Guardians of the Galaxy 3. Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige has said the film is expected in theatres in 2023. However, with the majority of the projects featuring Young Avengers characters yet to be released, there is still quite a bit of time before the superhero group would get its own feature film. Hopefully, when the time comes, James Gunn will be a name considered for the directors chair.