© Warner Bros / Courtesy Everett Collection
With the release of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” the end of James Gunn’s tenure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The filmmaker exits the MCU after directing three “Guardians” movies and transitions to his new full-time job as co-president of DC Studios, where he builds a new DC Universe across film, television and video games that includes a Superman movie he writes and directs.
Gunn’s “Guardians” cast members Zoe Saldaña and Dave Bautista have already gone on record saying they exited Marvel along with Gunn after the release of “Guardians Vol.” 3.” Chris Pratt, who headlined the “Guardians” franchise as Star Lord, is a different story. Speaking to Total Film magazine, Pratt said he will continue to play the character as long as Marvel honors what Gunn started.
“It would be strange to continue the (Star-Lord) story without James,” Pratt said. “He did a masterful job on the first three films. We really found Peter Quill’s voice both together and without him, obviously I would never have had that opportunity. He writes it, he directs it, he dreams up the music, it’s his imagination on screen. So, to keep telling the story.” It’s going to be really important to honor what he did in the first three movies and honor what fans have grown to love about the character and not just do it because people might come to pay for this, you know?”
Pratt continued, “I don’t want to be cynical in that approach, and if that’s the case, I wouldn’t do it at all. So maybe down the road if there’s something that makes sense I’ll do it but it’s really going to have to tick a lot of the right boxes.”
Pratt already has experience playing Star Lord to directors who aren’t James Gunn, but only in a supporting role. Joe and Anthony Russo directed “Avengers: Endgame” and “Avengers: Infinity War,” while Taika Waititi directed “Thor: Love and Thunder.” All three Marvel pillars featured Pratt star-Lord but not as a prominent character — only Gunn-directed “Guardians” films put Star-Lord front and center.
As for Pratt’s “Guardians” co-stars, Saldaña recently told The Hollywood Reporter blank that “Vol. 3” is the last time she’ll be in a Marvel movie as her character Gamora. She said, “I don’t think that’s the end of Guardians. It’s the end for me, for Gamora.”
Bautista confirmed in an interview with GQ magazine earlier this year that, “Vol. 3 “It will be his last outing as Drax.
“I’m so grateful for Drax. I love him. It wasn’t all fun,” Bautista said at the time. It was difficult to play this role. The makeup process was hitting me. And I don’t know if I want Drax to be my heritage — it’s a silly performance, and I want to do more dramatic things.”
In a previous Rolling Stone interview, Pratt also expressed interest in playing Star Lord without Gunn. The actor said, “Now if you were to say to me, actor Chris Pratt, would I like to reprise my role as Peter Quill and is there mileage left in the character and do I have the bandwidth or headspace for that? I would. I would be interested in playing the character again.”
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” opens in theaters nationwide May 5 from Disney.