Marvel hasn’t had a very shiny couple of years since its Endgame release. The projects that have populated the franchise in the recent past have hardly stood out. Apart from No Way Home, James Gunn’s GotG Holiday Special, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, there hasn’t been a feature capable of achieving the status of a phenomenon that is usually accorded to an MCU project immediately after its premiere.
Although these MCU Phases have already exceeded the arc of ascension in its cinematic history, the fandom often finds itself going back to the past when the world of Marvel was still building, brick by brick, one story at a time, one team-up at a time, and wonder how it would be if the days of old could be revisited for the first time.
Also read: Why James Gunn Ending the Franchise With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is a Bad Idea
James Gunn Comments on GotG Vol. 4’s Possibility in MCU
James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy franchise has been one of those projects that are so awkwardly out of the box that it is actually surprisingly good. And with a visionary director at the helm, the trilogy has served a long, healthy, fulfilling, and enjoyable run – comparable to other name-brand arcs like those of Iron Man, Captain America, and Spider-Man.
However, now that the trilogy is coming to an end, the MCU is devoid of the fascination that came with the otherworldly space-faring adventures of the Guardians. There was only so much time before Gunn’s plans for the GotG franchise ending with the trilogy would be questioned by the fandom. And as expected, Gunn’s resolution remains intact about not moving ahead with the franchise or making a Vol 4 in the foreseeable future.
James Gunn’s Plans For GotG Franchise Become Clear
In a recent Twitter post, a user clarified the runtime of James Gunn’s upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. In the process, the Marvel director (and current DC chief) also spoke about the experience that comes with a properly formulated arc in the “trilogy plus.” When asked to clarify what the “plus” means, Gunn tweeted:
Trilogy, Holiday Special, IW, Endgame.
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) March 26, 2023
This is indicative of Gunn’s resolution to not move past his current plans of ending the Guardians’ arc with the trilogy. As for the recently released Christmas Holiday Special, the feature presentation has not only been one of the highest-rated projects in the entirety of Phase Four but has also been critically acclaimed for its incredibly moving story and its purpose of signaling the beginning of the Guardians’ term coming to a saddening close.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 premieres on May 5, 2023.
Source: Twitter | James Gunn
