James Gunn doesn't want to use Nova for Guardians 2, doesn't like his helmet, and appears to be fairly indifferent to the character. I don't want him in Guardians 2 either. While I do have the unrealistic wish for Richard Rider to have his own movie, there are quite a few other reasons.
For starters, I'm not convinced Guardians 2 will be any good.
James Gunn doesn't appear to like super powers.Gunn left out all the characters with powers: Adam Warlock, Moondragon, Phyla Vell, Quasar, Phylla Vell as Quasar, Mantis, Captain Universe, Starhawk, etc. And then Gunn depowered everyone else. The Collector, a character that goes toe to toe with Thanos and the Avengers in the comics, an Elder of the Universe, gets his shop blown up. Drax isn't a human remade to kill Thanos, who knows if he has a human telepathic daughter bonded with a psychic dragon, probably not. The Nova Corps doesn't have powers and the Worldmind is just a backdrop and not their primary tool for communication. The deadliest woman in the galaxy is a damsel in distress. Ronan's hammer isn't a Universal Weapon. Cosmo was just a dog in a space suit.
The closest we get to super powers is Drax and Groot. And the most we see on the screen are the most boring: super strength, regeneration, and invulnerability. This is a Marvel Cosmic movie and those are the best super powers we get. Marvel Cosmic, the home of crazy philosophy, planet eaters, gambling gods, and a plethora of races that have the native ability to fly and the best we get is really strong and bullets don't hurt.
As a massive fan of the DNA run on Cosmic Marvel, given all the evidence here, why should I hope Gunn will respect the aspects of Cosmic Marvel I love? Guardians was a comic filled with strong women: Mantis, Phyla Vell, Moondragon, Gamora. And I would be remiss not to mention Moondragon and Phyla Vell being a prominent gay couple.
Gamora's entire role in the film is for motivation for Quill. As the deadliest woman in the galaxy she manages to not win a fight with Quill (granted he doesn't win either) and need to be saved by Quill in prison and in space. Gamora is reduced to a damsel in distress and love interest for Quill. Quill is the least interesting character of the group. As enjoyable as Chris Pratt was in the movie he's still the least interesting. And next movie we're supposed to care about who his Dad is? The quality of the Bendis' run of Guardians is certainly debatable but Gunn has already stated that Star Lord's dad won't be J'son.
Gunn has talked time and time again about how important Yondu and Nebula are, two characters that had no story arc in the movie! They were the same characters going in as they went out, no development what so ever.
I'm sure the second movie will be as popular as Iron Man 3 and will earn close to a billion dollars. Marvel seemingly doesn't make bad moves. Gunn doesn't seem to have any actual reverence for the actual comic characters themselves. He's more interested in the stuff he made up. He's a creator, that's what they do. I'm just expecting the second movie to go on a path that is going to irritate me the whole time. Thus I state the opinion: it won't be any good.
I'll be there day one but I don't want Richard Rider in Guardians 2. He wouldn't get the time he deserved and he would be powerless. And I'd rather have a director who enjoys the character and the look running him. Of course the reality is Richard Rider will never see the light of day in a Marvel movie. If a main character that is a Nova member shows up it'll be Sam. Its less disappointing if I expect it.