There was a time when Guardians of the Galaxy was deemed Marvel’s riskiest bet yet, but after a trilogy of successful films (plus appearances by the characters in multiple Avengers movies), it ranks as one of the studio’s premier franchises. Unfortunately, the future of the IP is up in the air. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 served as a swan song (at least for the current iteration of the team), as all of the main characters went their separate ways after an emotionally charged finale. Still, the Guardians are so beloved that fans can’t help but wonder if they have a future to look forward to in the MCU.
During an appearance at Emerald City Comic-Con (via CBR), multiple members of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise cast addressed the possibility of a fourth movie. Mantis actress Pom Klementieff said that the series “was always imagined as a trilogy,” so the topic of another installment never came up in conversation. Michael Rooker was happy Guardians of the Galaxy didn’t overstay its welcome. “Thank goodness it didn’t go on further. It would become like The Walking Dead,” he joked.
Sean Gunn explained what would need to happen for him to return for Guardians of the Galaxy 4. “It’s like, if they decide to do it, if they decide that they can put the pieces together and get the right cast, and get a script that they really like and that works, then it would depend on who wrote that script and who was putting it together,” he said. “And by that point, there would probably already be somebody who was part of it, so I don’t know.”
Will Guardians of the Galaxy 4 Ever Happen?
Image Courtesy of Marvel Studios
If Marvel Studios decided to move forward on Guardians of the Galaxy 4, it would be a very difficult challenge for Kevin Feige and Co. James Gunn, who is now co-head of DC Studios, was the primary creative voice behind the Guardians trilogy, writing and directing all three films. His unique blend of heart, humor, and action is what made the movies so memorable, and it wouldn’t be easy to find someone to follow Gunn’s footsteps. There’s a reason why so many filmmakers were reluctant to tackle Guardians of the Galaxy 3 during the period when Gunn was fired from the project.
At the convention panel, Klementieff mentioned that Guardians of the Galaxy characters “could still appear in another movie,” such as an Avengers installment or some kind of crossover event. Marvel seems to be putting the pieces in place for this to happen. The end credits of Guardians of the Galaxy 3 tease that Star-Lord will return at some point, though Chris Pratt has yet to be confirmed for an upcoming project. Odds of him being in Avengers: Doomsday are reportedly low since he was busy filming The Terminal List when Doomsday was in production. Assuming he isn’t added in a late reshoot, Pratt could always reprise the role in Avengers: Secret Wars.
Bringing select Guardians characters back as part of a larger ensemble is probably the smart move at this point. That way, audiences can see more of them and their stories can continue, but there isn’t the pressure of doing a straight-up Guardians of the Galaxy film sans Gunn. Any future solo Guardians movie would be subject to intense scrutiny and would invariably be compared to what came before (even if it featured a new team of heroes). Additionally, Secret Wars is being positioned as a soft reset of the MCU, so Marvel could opt to leave certain sub-franchises behind as it begins a new era. Since the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy got its ending and was the product of a specific vision, it’d make sense if Marvel focused on other characters instead of bringing Guardians of the Galaxy back.
That’s not to say Guardians of the Galaxy 4 will never come to fruition. After all, Kevin Feige has said he’d be open to recasting Tony Stark and Steve Rogers down the line; at one point in the MCU’s history, that seemed inconceivable. There’s always a chance a new filmmaker comes in with a creative pitch that boldly reinvents Guardians of the Galaxy in a new image, though it would have to be a very strong take on the IP that does enough to stand on its own while still honoring the classic Guardians spirit. Out of reverence for Gunn, people might be apprehensive to pitch a new Guardians of the Galaxy movie, so Secret Wars (it would be odd if Star-Lord didn’t help in the fight against Doctor Doom) might be the end of the line.
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