Everyone knows that next summer’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 marks the end of the road for the current lineup of the team, writer and director James Gunn, and star Dave Bautista, but that won’t necessarily mean the Marvel Cinematic Universe doesn’t have plans in store for the characters beyond that.
With the Multiverse Saga in full swing, it would be a strange decision on the franchise’s part were it do dispense with a raft of hugely popular and eminently marketable names that includes Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord, Zoe Saldaña’s Gamora, Karen Gillan’s Nebula, Will Poulter’s debuting Adam Warlock, and even Sylvester Stallone’s returning Stakar Ogord, especially when the cosmic side of the mythology continues to be explored.
While it wouldn’t come as a shock were Marvel to gracefully retire the entire Guardians roster as a mark of respect to Gunn when he officially jumps ship to DC Studios in a permanent capacity, the company’s new co-CEO did admit to a fan that whatever happens in the aftermath of Vol. 3 is out of his hands.
Avengers: Infinity War, Endgame, and Thor: Love and Thunder all featured the Guardians in some capacity without Gunn steering the ship, even if he did offer suggestions on how to maintain continuity with his approach to the intergalactic adventures. Would audiences be as interested in a new feature film without the filmmaker at the helm? Perhaps not, but the biggest game in town isn’t exactly one to leave money on the table, so we’ll be curious to find out.