What It Means for the Future

The following submit comprises SPOILERS for the post-credits scene of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. The galaxy’s spoilers shall be guarded nobody sentence additional. My preemptive apologies.

Phew. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 promised to offer us one final journey with the title characters — and when the film is over, that appears true.

To some extent.

The Guardians themselves have splintered, with a number of characters quitting the group and others becoming a member of. We nearly actually gained’t see this group of Guardians onscreen once more. But the trailers for Guardians Vol. 3 actually hammered house the concept that a number of of the Guardians would possibly die in the movie. Dave Bautista, who performs Drax, has already mentioned he’s prepared to hold up his house knives and, Zoe Saldana, who performs Gamora, has made related statements about her want to maneuver on from Marvel films.

Instead, all the Guardians made it via okay — bodily, if not emotionally. That contains Peter Quill, the half-Earthman hero performed by actor Chris Pratt, who has led the Guardians since their introduction to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The first scene in the first Guardians reveals Quill’s origin. Shortly after his mom dies of most cancers, a pre-teen Peter will get kidnapped from Earth by Yondu and a gaggle of house pirates often called the Ravagers. He grows up as a member of Yondu’s crew and ultimately hooks up with Gamora, Drax, Rocket, and Groot whereas they’re all chasing after “The Orb,” a magical house MacGuffin that seems to comprise an Infinity Stone.

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Orphaned by his mother’s dying — his dad seems to be a Celestial god named Ego, and likewise a serious jerk who lives as much as his title — Peter Quill by no means returned house to Earth. But strictly talking, Peter wasn’t alone. When he was taken into house, he left behind a grandfather whom he by no means noticed once more. While Peter misplaced his mother, his grandfather misplaced his daughter and his grandson on the identical day. That’s tough.

So at the finish of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Peter lastly returns to Earth for the first time since he was a child. He finds his grandfather (performed by Gregg Henry), who is sort of a bit older however nonetheless alive, and the two share a tearful embrace. And then, at the finish of the closing credit, Peter and his granddad seem in a second scene, a quiet sequence round a breakfast desk. Peter mumbles a grievance about performing some yard work for an unappreciative neighbor. And then a last title card reads “The Legendary Star-Lord Will Return.”

Which is information to us! As of this writing, Marvel has not introduced any form of Legendary Star-Lord film or tv present. That title comes from a comic book of the mid-2000s by author Sam Humphries and artist Paco Medina. But that comedian is essentially about Peter Quill in outer house having adventures with Kitty Pryde (who joined the Guardians of the Galaxy throughout this era, and likewise received into and out of a relationship with Peter). That Legendary Star-Lord doesn’t appear to have an apparent connection to the occasions of Guardians Vol. 3.

But a later Marvel collection from a couple of years later, merely titled Star-Lord, does characteristic a premise much like the one which seems on this Guardians Vol. 3 post-credits scene. That e-book, which solely lasted for six points, concerned a storyline titled “Grounded” by author Chip Zdarsky and artist Kris Anka, the place Peter Quill quickly leaves the Guardians and turns into stranded on Earth, the place he’s completely oblivious to the customs, fashions, and expertise.

Star-Lord’s Earthbound adventures on this comedian would have to be closely altered for any form of Legendary Star-Lord present or film that Marvel Studios would possibly produce. For one factor, the comedian collection concerned, amongst different individuals, Daredevil and the older model of Wolverine from the alternate future that impressed the film Logan. The odds of both of these characters hanging out with Chris Pratt and Gregg Henry appears unlikely. But the primary concept of of Peter Quill as this fish out of water on his personal planet may simply function the focus of a film or (most likely extra naturally) as the topic of a one-off MCU Disney+ collection or particular.

But, once more, Marvel has not introduced any such venture up to now, and with Guardians author/director James Gunn off to make films for DC Studios, it’s attainable that title card was meant as a daft joke. On the different hand, Marvel solely tends to throw in these “______ Will Return” messages to the ends of flicks the place they actually imply it. So it looks as if Chris Pratt will present up someplace down in the line in his personal Star-Lord venture.

It may take some time although. Marvel’s 2024 movie lineup is already set, and certain their 2025 lineup is as effectively. It’s not till you get to 2026 that the firm has a lighter schedule, with only a single film (Avengers: Secret Wars) presently introduced. If Legendary Star-Lord goes to be a TV present, it may come sooner — though Marvel has additionally slowed approach down on their TV output; after releasing a mixed eight Disney+ exhibits in 2021 and 2022, they’ve but to launch a single episode of TV in 2023. (Secret Invasion is presently scheduled to debut on Disney+ subsequent month.)

With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 now out in theaters, and that title card popping up in 1000’s of theaters round the nation, we anticipate to listen to phrase a technique or one other about the venture very quickly. The Guardians of the Galaxy could also be accomplished for now, however it appears like Star-Lord goes to be sticking round.

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