James Gunn has moved on from Marvel Studios to serve as DC Studios co-CEO and the filmmaker behind projects like Superman, Peacemaker, and the upcoming Man of Tomorrow. Where does that leave the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise?
Well, Marvel Studios can either find new uses for those characters or trust another filmmaker to bring them back to the big screen. It would be a real shame to bid farewell to the Guardians, but living up to what Gunn did with the team would be no easy feat.
Fans remain eager to see what comes next for Chris Pratt's Star-Lord, including whether he'll be making an appearance in Avengers: Doomsday. The character played a key role in Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribic's Secret Wars, so it would make sense.
During a recent interview with Jimmy Kimmel to promote Mercy, Pratt was asked if he's in the next Avengers movie. "I would have to tell [Pope Leo XIV]," he jokingly responded after reflecting on meeting him at the Vatican last December. Kimmel asked if he'd tell him, prompting the actor to reply, "Not quite the Pope, Jimmy."
It's interesting that Pratt danced around answering the question, and it may be that Star-Lord will have a small role in Doomsday before getting more to do in Secret Wars. We'll have to wait and see.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 ended with Peter Quill returning to Earth. He reunited with his grandfather, and a post-credits scene wrapped up with a title card promising us that the Legendary Star-Lord would return.
As for the Guardians themselves, the team is now comprised of Rocket, Groot, Kraglin, Cosmo, Adam Warlock, Phyla, and Blurp. What the future holds in store for them isn't clear, but with Star-Lord back on Earth, fans have been waiting for Marvel Studios to make good on that promise.
Last year, concept art from Avengers: Doomsday leaked online showing Star-Lord and the White Vision as roommates. There's a chance that was created for VisionQuest (other pieces showcased Jocasta's robotic design), though whether Pratt shot a cameo is a mystery to us.
It's also worth noting that another piece showed Peter alongside Wong and the Young Avengers, hinting at plans for Star-Lord in Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars. However, there's no way of knowing whether that ever made it into a finished script.
The Russo Brothers direct Avengers: Doomsday from a screenplay by Stephen McFeely, with whom they previously collaborated on the Avengers and Captain America franchises. Loki and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness's Michael Waldron is also working on the script.
Avengers: Doomsday is set to be released on December 18, with Avengers: Secret Wars scheduled to arrive on December 17, 2027.