With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, James Gunn is saying goodbye to Marvel Studios. Since 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy, Gunn’s fingerprints have been all over the MCU, with his work almost single-handedly fleshing out the interstellar side of the universe. Warner Bros. is hoping he’ll bring that magic to the DCU, though everything we’ve seen of Vol. 3 indicates it’s going to be one hell of a swansong.
There are also some indications that Gunn may switch up the action style for this final movie, with some leaked merchandise having many fans noting a distinct anime influence. Notable additions are Groot having angelic wooden wings (which, incidentally, may be lifted from his Fortnite skin) and Nebula being compared to Battle Angel‘s Alita:
Some more stylized action would be a breath of fresh air for Marvel, and most fans seem to be here for it:
Groot taking flight for the first time is going to be so cool:
We wish every MCU movie could have action as good as Shang-Chi…
But some anime purists think the resemblance is purely superficial:
And does Groot really need wings?
It remains to be seen whether Vol. 3 will actually be anime-inspired, as the Super Bowl trailer gave us a glimpse at battle scenes that look broadly in line with what we’ve come to expect from the Guardians of the Galaxy series. But, after Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania‘s miserable critical reception, maybe it’s time for Marvel to take a closer look at anime to zap a little life into their samey battles?
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 hits theaters on May 5.