Why James Gunn Ending the Franchise With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Is a Bad Idea

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It has been 5 years since we saw Peter Quill take on his father in a 1v1 that shook the very universe. Marve recently released its lineup for Phase 5 & 6 and among those films, is the magnum opus of the originals, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Although fans are excited to have a reunion with their beloved ragtag team of criminals, this may very well be the last of the Guardians movie that you will ever see. And here’s why:

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James Gunn at the premiere of The Suicide Squad (2021).
James Gunn at the premiere of The Suicide Squad (2021).

James Gunn to end Guardians of the Galaxy on a high note

The ragtag team of James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy (2014).
The ragtag team of James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy (2014).

To be brutally honest, Marvel movies are not what they used to be. Consider me an old-timey but the originality of Phase 1 and 2 combined with the appearance of every Marvel character together on screen in Avengers: Endgame was the level of awesomeness that Marvel has lost somehow. Many people agree with this none more so other than the guy who started the journey with Marvel’s highs, James Gunn.

Also read: ‘The Franchises Are Over’: Chris Pratt Hints He’s Leaving MCU, Signals End of Superhero Movie Era

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Directing the 2014 movie that introduced the world to Peter Quill, Gamora, Rocket, Drax, and little adorable Groot, Guardians of the Galaxy became an instant hit with much love and adoration from the fans. After 3 years, the director returned with another hit where Peter Quill had to defeat his father Ego in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and now, ending the series on a high note, James Gunn will release, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3.

Much of the movie’s success was based on James Gunn’s classic humor played with some mildly suggestive jokes, a banger retro music score that made millions of people turn their heads to the classics, and a storyline that seems simple at first, but gets complicated as one dives deeper. The sequel had the same effect on the audience and it is likely that the third installment will also leave the people in awe and mesmerization and nothing but respect for the movie.

You might also like to read: James Gunn Breaks Silence On Dave Bautista’s Drax Leaving Guardians of the Galaxy

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When James Gunn had to leave Marvel

More characters were added by James Gunn in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017).
More characters were added by James Gunn in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017).

Following several allegations over old tweets that the director had posted on his Twitter account, Marvel decided to throw the director away and put a stop to the ongoing shooting of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 that was amidst shooting. James Gunn was quickly picked up by DC to direct the sequel of the 2016 movie The Suicide Squad. The movie which had garnered a lot of hate for its first part quickly found love and appreciation for the sequel directed by James Gunn. People understood and recognized the value of the director.

Based on your interests: How Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Will Be The Darkest MCU Film To Date?

James Gunn later joined Marvel again and sat at the director’s chair to pick up from where he left off on the Guardians project and it seems, the magnum opus has been created for the people to watch.

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What drove James Gunn to finish the story?

Rocket Raccoon's backstory drove James Gunn.
Rocket Raccoon’s backstory drove James Gunn.

In an interview, the director stated that the movie will focus heavily on the backstory of Bradley Cooper’s voiced evil furball, Rocket Raccoon. The director revealed that telling the story of Rocket was one of the driving forces that wanted him to finish this movie.

I mean, who can blame him?: ‘He’s making millions for nothing’: Vin Diesel Reportedly Returning For I Am Groot Series

The director stated in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, For a while, I wasn’t going to do this movie. Then I came back. And the reason I knew I needed to come back was to tell this story and, in some ways, in particular, I have a special closeness to the character of Rocket and I knew I needed to finish to tell his story,”.

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So, James Gunn wants to end the story with a big high when Marvel seems at a low, but what will happen to the Guardians? Fans assumed the worst.

What will happen to the team of rag tags after James Gunn’s finale?

The poster for James Gunn's magnum opus, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023).
The poster for James Gunn’s magnum opus, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023).

Fans have assumed the worst if Guardians of the Galaxy is ending with the third part. Naturally, people speculate that the entire team would be killed off but we know that to be false. There are several movies in Phase 5 & 6 of Marvel’s lineup that the Guardians could involve themselves in. So, the remaining theory is that several beloved characters would likely be killed off in the upcoming movie (yikes!)

Also read: James Gunn Dashes Fan Hopes on Suicide Squad 3, Reveals He Has Too Many Projects

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The first and foremost that comes to mind is Drax. We love Drax but after completing his arc of revenge against both Ronan and Thanos, there’s not much left for the “fast reflex” warrior to do than to just stay with his newfound family. Peter Quill can likely retire with Gamora after the latter’s memory returns and they both wander off into the deepest places of the universe to just leave it all. And that’s it. Groot already has ‘died’ of sorts and we know that Rocket has the primary focus in the movie.

The post-credit scene in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 also showcased Adam Warlock making an appearance, and thus is a likely member to join the team in later expeditions (he does so in the comics).

But whatever happens or whoever joins the team, it is going to be a hell of a ride for James Gunn, Marvel, and us, the fans that thrive on these forms of entertainment.

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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will release on 5th May 2023 in movie theaters across the globe.

 

 

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Written by Visarg Acharya

Articles Published: 2064

Visarg Acharya, Associate Content Writer, has been heavily involved in movies, series, and history. Having an experience of 2 years in the field of content writing, Visarg is a seasoned writer. Having a degree in Physics, Visarg Acharya has published a dissertation alongside a plethora of poems and short stories along the way.