Imagine being in a movie theater in 2014, watching Star-Lord dancing, Rocket growling, and Groot saying his iconic "I am Groot," and suddenly hearing the most famous breath in cinematic history: Darth Vader's . It sounds like a fan's delusion, but it isn't. According to Kevin Feige himself , the Dark Lord of Star Wars was very close to sneaking into the MCU.
The impossible crossover that almost happened
The anecdote came up in an interview reported by Mashable years ago. In it, Feige explained that, during the development of Guardians of the Galaxy , the possibility of including Darth Vader in a cameo was seriously considered. Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm was recent, and the temptation of uniting two galactic universes under one corporate roof was too tempting to pass up.
Vader in the MCU: Easter egg or full-blown cameo?
With that confession, the big question remains: how exactly would Vader have appeared? A hologram found in The Collector's collection? An Imperial helmet hidden among cosmic relics? Or a direct cameo, breathing included, in front of the Guardians?
Feige didn't provide any details, but the mere fact that it was even being considered opens the door to endless theories and fan art. Because if there's one thing that unites Marvel and Star Wars, it's fans' passion for imagining impossible crossovers.
Marvel and Star Wars: Two Galaxies Under Disney
The idea wasn't so far-fetched. With Marvel and Lucasfilm already under the Disney umbrella, a crossover seemed like a matter of time. And, although the two universes have remained separate until now, hints like this show that the temptation has always been there .
Plus, Guardians of the Galaxy shares a lot with Star Wars: space adventures, impossible ships, cheeky humor, and characters who seem plucked from the Mos Eisley cantina. It's not hard to imagine Darth Vader crossing into that universe for a couple of seconds.
What could have been… and what may yet happen
In the end, Guardians of the Galaxy became a phenomenon in its own right without the need for Vader. But the multiverse has changed the rules of the game. If we've already seen three Spider-Men share the screen in No Way Home and Hugh Jackman return as Wolverine in Deadpool and Wolverine , why not dream of a Marvel- Star Wars crossover somewhere in the future?
We may never see Vader fight Rocket, but a hidden hint in an upcoming series or movie doesn't seem so impossible.
The value of an “almost”
The fascinating thing about these confessions is that they remind us how fragile and exciting the creative process is at Marvel. Sometimes, a simple "almost" is enough to spark the imagination. And in this case, the "almost" is huge: the galaxy's most iconic villain is one step away from appearing in one of the MCU's most beloved films.
As Feige said, "it would have been amazing ." And even though it never happened, there's always the fantasy of how things would have changed if Darth Vader had shared the screen, even for a moment, with Star-Lord, Groot, and company.
Now the question is inevitable: Would you have liked to see Darth Vader in Guardians of the Galaxy, or was it better for Marvel to leave it to the fans' imagination? Tell us in the comments what other impossible crossovers you'd like to see in the future of the MCU... and let the galactic debate begin! You can watch all the Marvel and Star Wars content available on Disney+ .