Will ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ Be the Last ‘Guardians’ Movie?

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 releases worldwide between May 3 and May 5, bringing our favorite band of misfits back to the big screen after their brief appearance in Taika Waititi’s Thor: Love and Thunder last year. But, so far, Thor is the only main Marvel superhero to have gotten more than a trilogy of solo movies, causing many fans to wonder whether Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be the final time we see the Guardians in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 the final Guardians movie?

Though there’s technically no stopping Kevin Feige from greenlighting a fourth Guardians of the Galaxy movie in the future, it would not focus on the same cast of characters. In speaking with Deadline’s Hero Nation podcast, director James Gunn said “This is the end for us, the last time people will see this team of Guardians,” and he reiterated that his main aim with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was “to be true to the characters, the story, and give people the wrap-up that they deserve for the story.”

Not only is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 the final Guardians movie with this group of characters, but it also marks James Gunn’s final movie with the MCU. Now that Gunn has been named one of the CEOs of DC Studios, his focus has, understandably, shifted.

Despite being the end for this current generation of Guardians, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will introduce several new characters who could impact the future of the MCU. Will Poulter’s Adam Warlock will be making his debut, for example, a character whose appearance was first teased in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. The film will also include the introduction of Chukwudi Iwuji as the High Evolutionary, a character whose sinister experiments and incredible intellect could have serious implications for the MCU’s ever-unfolding story.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 may mark the end of the road for this current group of galactic Guardians, but with James Gunn at the helm, these heroes are certain to go out with a bang.

(featured image: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)