Guardians of the Galaxy 3 is slated for release on Jul 15, 2025, and has been publicly touted as the final chapter in the Guardian’s story. James Gunn said early on in the process that the third film would be the last and since the film wrapped more than one cast member has said they wouldn’t want to return to the characters.
With all that under consideration, is there a place for the Guardians of the Galaxy in the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Beyond that, is it even likely that current members of the Guardians could appear in crossover films?
RELATED:James Gunn Wants Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 To Avoid Trilogy Curse
The Guardians of the Galaxy made their MCU debut in 2014 bydirector James Gunnwith a huge ensemble cast. Starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, and the voice of Vin Diesel made up the titular team of anti-heroes. The supporting cast was also stacked with stars featuring Karen Gillan, Michael Rooker, Benicio del Toro, John C. Reilly, and Lee Pace.
The story of the Guardians, the combination of strange characters, and the use of music and humor in the film all came together to make a huge hit. The sequel was released in 2017 with The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special released on Disney + in November 2022. Now the third, and reportedly final chapter in the Guardians story is due in a matter of months and fans are all asking the same question: Is this really the last audiences will see of them?
Vol.3 is James Gunn’s Final Guardians Movie
It’s no secret that the third film in The Guardians of the Galaxy story will beJames Gunn’s last. Back in January 2022, Gunn revealed on Deadline’s Hero Nation podcast that the third film was the end of his time with the Guardians, and also the end for the rest of the team. “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.”
Gunn isn’t the only one who has publicly bid the Guardians farewell. Speaking withVariety, Saldaña explained that while she loves her time as Gamora, the makeup process is something she is happy to leave behind. “I can never say no to anything, but that green makeup? I wouldn’t be upset if it didn’t happen again,” Saldaña explained. “I miss Gamora, but I don’t miss 3:30 a.m. calls and five-hour makeup sessions and trips to the dermatologist afterwards.”
Similarly,Dave Bautista spoke about the arduous makeupprocess and his desire to leave the character behind. “I’m so grateful for Drax. I love him… But there’s a relief [that it’s over]. It wasn’t all pleasant. It was hard playing that role. The makeup process was beating me down. And I just don’t know if I want Drax to be my legacy—it’s a silly performance, and I want to do more dramatic stuff.”
Can the Guardians Still Appear in Crossovers?
In the MCU, crossovers are almost a prerequisite. As a shared universe based on decades of comic book stories that have featured hundreds of team-ups and crossover events, it’s inevitable. The full team of the Guardians appeared during the epic end of the MCUs’ Phase 3 in Avengers Infinity War and Endgame, aiding in the defeat of Thanos. The Guardians have also been inextricably linked with Thor after meeting at the end of Phase 4 and then appearing in the recent fourth Thor filmThor: Love and Thunder.
Of course, no one can say what the future holds, especially when it comes to the MCU and the studio’s ability to get seemingly impossible cameos and cast members. However, this iteration of the Guardians seems unlikely to appear again past their final outing. Many of the cast members have expressed their desires to move on and leave the characters behind, especially with James Gunn ending his tenure. It’s always possible that new Guardians will be cast and the team could be rebooted in the future, but that is almost certainly a long way off.
Marvel is Making Room for New Heroes
Along with the fact thatGunn has become joint head of DCprojects at Warner, and many cast members have said they wish to move on, Marvel is making an effort to introduce new heroes and characters to both the big and small screen. One such new super-powered being is Adam Warlock who will be making his debut in Guardians of the Galaxy 3. Will Poulter will be playing the character, who in the comics has an affinity with the Soul Stone and is a longtime enemy of Thanos. Warlock was trapped in the Soul Stone for years before breaking free and essentially being resurrected.
He also has a long list of extremely formidable powers including superhuman strength, speed, stamina, and manipulation of cosmic power for energy projection. He can also fly and restore/regenerate himself by cocooning his body and emerging healed. In the comics, he was created/birthed from a cocoon, and it is an ability that sees him come out stronger each time. While there is currently very little information about what carryover there will be from the comic character to the screen, audiences have seen a glimpse of Poulter in character, complete with golden skin in thetrailer for the third film.
On the small screen side of things, Oscar Isaac has made waves with his portrayal of Moon Knight, a hero imbued with powers by the Egyptian God Khonshu and also suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder. She-Hulk has also been introduced, played by Tatiana Maslany and Charlie Cox has returned to play Daredevil, but this time as a canon part of the MCU. The Thunderbolts and Blade are also getting their big-screen adventures andDeadpool will be finally joining the MCUproper with the third film.
There is a lot on the horizon for Marvel in both big and small projects. The MCU is already approaching critical mass and overcrowding is starting to show, especially in the box office performances and quality of recent movies. Ending some stories and leaving characters behind could be just what the MCU needs.
MORE:The MCU Multiverse Could Mean Everything Is Canon (And That’s Not Great)
