Tag Archives: Guardians of the Galaxy

Entertainment

Marvel Sequel Will Be His Last

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Drax’s final ride comes in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Image: Marvel Studios

Ten years ago, when James Gunn cast former professional wrestler Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer, some were skeptical. Sure, this dude was a charismatic wrestler, but could he act? Oh, how that has changed, now that Bautista’s breakout Marvel Studios role has propelled him into a diverse, impressive acting career. Though the character is a fan favorite, the actor reveals that he never wanted Drax to be his signature role and that he’ll officially be leaving it behind this May when Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 his theaters.

“I’m so grateful for Drax. I love him,” Bautista told GQ magazine. “But there’s a relief [that it’s over]. It wasn’t all pleasant. It was hard playing that role. The makeup process was beating me down. And I just don’t know if I want Drax to be my legacy—it’s a silly performance, and I want to do more dramatic stuff.”

So, there are a few things to unpack here and we’ll start with what we know. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 writer/director James Gunn confirmed on his Instagram Stories that, yes, the upcoming film will be the final time Bautista plays Drax. Does that mean Drax will be recast (which Bautista himself said he’s cool with)? Does he die? Does he just go off and leave the Guardians? Those answers will come in a few months. But, for now, we at least know where these feelings are coming from.

As for Bautista’s relief at leaving it behind, you almost understand that too. While Drax is a big, boisterous character, matching Bautista’s physical stature, those aren’t the types of characters he’s most interested in playing. For example, in the GQ profile, he talks about just wanting to work more and more with director Denis Villeneuve, who cast Bautista in small roles in both Blade Runner 2049 and Dune (though the role is significantly expanded in this year’s Dune: Part Two). “If I could be a number one [on the callsheet] with Denis, I would do it for fucking free,” the actor said. “I think that’s how I could find out how good I could be. He brings out the best in me. He sees me in a different light, sees the performer that I want to be. That might be how I solve the puzzle.”

He’s also worked with the likes of Sam Mendes, Zack Snyder, Rian Johnson, and, later this year, M. Night Shyamalan. He’s not afraid to take a smaller role, as long as it means working with someone great. And while Gunn is certainly great, after three full films, a Holiday Special, and several other Marvel cameos, you understand how a performer like that is ready to leave it behind and try something new.

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What do you think happens to Drax in Guardians 3? Let us know below.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

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Entertainment

James Gunn on Guardians Holiday Special and Future DC Questions

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James Gunn (with Chris Pratt and Dave Bautista) on the set of the Guardians Holiday Special.
Image: Marvel Studios

It’s fitting that James Gunn just released a holiday special because he’s currently the bright star at the center of the superhero movie world. Not only did Gunn just release The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special ahead of next year’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, but he’s also the new co-head of DC Films, currently working out how to compete with Marvel across all media.

If those types of things interest you—and if you’re reading this, they probably do—Gunn’s Twitter is a must-follow. He’s one of a very, very small handful of powerful geek creatives who still actively engages on the platform, and this past weekend Gunn was in full force, answering fans’ burning questions about the Guardians and even teasing some larger generalizations about the future of DC.

Starting with Guardians, Gunn did his best to clear up one of the bigger questions surrounding the special, which is when and how did the Guardians of the Galaxy buy Knowhere, the huge celestial skull where the Collector resided in the first film. “Although the Guardians are sometimes heroes, they work as mercenaries & it brings in a fair amount of money,” Gunn tweeted. “So after Thanos attacked Knowhere they bought it from the Collector. It was a burnt out husk & they’ve been rebuilding it.” On Knowhere, we see the Guardians are now friends with Cosmo, the dog briefly seen in the Collector’s collection in the original Guardians. Gunn confirmed Cosmo hadn’t left, and met the Guardians on the planet.

In terms of timelines between the Holiday Special and the Guardians’ last appearance in Thor: Love and Thunder, Gunn was a little less clear. “I’m not sure how it works out in the timeline (these things aren’t discussed) but in my mind they were only with Thor a few weeks,” he said. He was clear though on why Peter Quill is less OK going back to Earth than he is other places. “Because when we’re 8 years old we process trauma much, much differently than we do when we’re 38,” Gunn tweeted. 

There also seemed to be many, many questions about the new Groot, which Gunn has lovingly dubbed “Swole Groot.” In his mind, this is not the same Groot we saw in the first film who lovingly sacrificed himself for his team. And with a new life and experiences, that explains why his body has developed differently. “I think it’s explicit in the movies,” Gunn tweeted. “As Baby Groot was explicitly a baby without the knowledge of OG Groot. But now that Groot’s body is developing differently it’s more obvious.”

Answering questions about the practicality of the special, Gunn confirmed what was, and wasn’t real, in terms of shooting locations. “Knowhere was mostly practical with some extensions & the spaceship (& Hollywood Blvd) were all practical,” he said.

Just a bevy of Marvel information. Since it’s much newer in Gunn’s career, his openness about the future of DC Film was certainly less specific, but no less exciting. “The DCU will be connected across film and TV (and animation),” Gunn said, kind of wrapping up a slew of tweets where he said there would be 2D and 3D animation, that some of the animations would tie into the world of the movies and TV (while others won’t), future video games will tie into the larger DC Universe, he expects to write and direct some DC projects in the future, and while there is communication between film and comics, he is only involved with the films.

Finally, while Gunn is honest that he’s only been at DC a few weeks and plans are in place, he expects at least some news to be out about his and co-chair Peter Safran’s plans well before next year’s San Diego Comic-Con. But in the meantime, he’s got to finish and promote Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which will tie up not just the story of the Guardians, but Gunn’s at Marvel too.

What’s the main takeaway here? Well, follow James Gunn on Twitter for one. And two, everyone please keep being nice to him so he doesn’t leave. Because it’s incredible to have someone with such influence be so accessible.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water. 



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Technology

James Gunn Confirms No Eros

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Screenshot: Marvel Studios

Godzilla vs. Kong 2 has begun filming. Jameela Jamil talks She-Hulk’s Titania. Plus, good news for Moonhaven, and what’s coming on Westworld, Ghosts, and Primal. Spoilers, away!

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning

Deadline reports Holt McCallany (Mind Hunter) has joined the cast of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning as Bernstein, the United States Secretary of Defense.

Creepers

Bloody-Disgusting reports Jake Manley, Adeline Rudolph, Francesca Reale, Laurence O’Faurain, Nicholas Hamilton, Javier Botet, Skylan Brooks, and Kai Caster will star in the film adaptation of David Morrell’s Creepers. Manley will play Rick, “the official leader of the Creepers” while Rudolph plays Diane, “the unofficial leader of the group, and Rick’s rebellious, defying, impulsive girlfriend.” Reale has been cast as Cora, “a parkour expert and the key in the group who opens doors wherever they’re closed while keeping everyone honest” while O’Faurain joins as Balenger, “a mysterious, brooding, powerful stranger with a secret and who isn’t who he says he is.” Hamilton is said to play Tod, “leader of the Scavengers, a rival urbex group and who is particularly cruel and vicious” opposite Botet as the supernatural Pale Creature” whose domain is the abandoned Paragon Hotel.” Brooks has been cast as Vernon, “the 4th Creeper, a wise-cracking tech-nerd who is not doing a good job of hiding his true feelings for Cora” while Caster rounds out the cast as JD, a former Creeper “exiled after breaking their code and further betraying them by joining the rival Scavs.”

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Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3

During a recent interview with Extra, James Gunn confirmed Harry Styles’ Eros/Starfox does not appear in Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3.

Nope. I’m setting the record straight. Starfox doesn’t pop up.

James Gunn Says Harry Styles’ Starfox Is NOT in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (Exclusive)

Shazam! Fury of the Gods

Meanwhile, David F. Sandberg confirmed Rizwan Manji appears as an unnamed character in Shazam! Fury of the Gods.

Godzilla Vs. Kong 2

Godzilla Vs. Kong 2 is currently filming under the working title Origins.

Kung Fu

Deadline reports Kim Rhodes and Ben Levin have joined the third season of Kung Fu in recurring roles. Rhodes will play Carrie, “the representative of a restaurant investment group that takes an interest in Harmony Dumplings” while Levin has been cast as Bo, “a barista/vigilante whose extracurricular crime fighting leads to a collision with Nicky and her siblings.”

Moonhaven

Moonhaven has been officially renewed for a second season at AMC+. [Deadline]

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law

Jameela Jamil described her character Titania as both “annoying” and “unselfconscious” in a recent interview with Screen Rant.

Titania stands out because I think she’s the most annoying of them, actually. I think she almost doesn’t need to use her strength; she could just annoy you to death. And I think that is a superpower that we haven’t really utilized enough.

She’s also very glamorous. I like the fact that she’s a bit curvy, and I like the fact that she’s completely unselfconscious. She’s completely unselfconscious and so, so weird. We’ll see.

Ghosts

Ghosts has released a “this year on…” trailer for its second season premiering on September 29.

Ghosts Season 2 Teaser Promo

Westworld

The hosts endure spiritual conversion in the trailer for “Metanoia,” next week’s episode of Westworld.

Westworld 4×07 Promo “Metanoia”

Primal

Finally, Spear and Fang battle vikings in a new clip from this week’s episode of Primal.

Primal | S2E4 Sneak Peek: Spear and Fang Battle the Warrior Clan | adult swim

Banner art by Jim Cook

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel and Star Wars releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about House of the Dragon and Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

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Technology

Marvel Almost Introduced Guardians of the Galaxy Heroes in Four Solo One-Shot Short Films

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Before the Guardians of the Galaxy became household names in their own Marvel Studios franchise, the characters were nearly introduced to movie-goers in a series of short films. In an excerpt from The Story of Marvel Studios: The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige recalls a time when the studio was ready to make four short films to get fans caught up on the respective characters — one with Rocket Raccoon and Groot, and one each for Gamora, Drax, and Star-Lord. After all, the outfit had just given each of the four primary Avengers their own solo film.

“We toyed with the idea of doing short films on Drax, on Rocket and Groot, and on Gamora, leading up to Guardians,” Feige told the writers behind the tell-all book. The producer then recalled wanting to do a fourth short film about a kid that was fascinated by fantasy stories.

“Then you’d star Guardians. And half-way through, we would reveal that big space hero is the kid from the short. We thought that would be clever, but it was too much,” he added.

In the same section of the book, it was revealed the Marvel Creative Committee — a group of creatives with Marvel Entertainment — also didn’t take kindly to much of James Gunn’s work on the franchise, including a big reveal in Vol. 2.

“The thinking was, when you tell your fan base that Kurt Russell and Chris Pratt are going to be playing father and son roles—two beloved actors from different generations who have hit action-comidies on their resumes—you’re signaling that they’re in for a great time,” the book says.

It quickly adds, “Yet Russell was as sure of the twist as Marvel Studios, [James] Gunn, and Pratt were.”

The Marvel Creative Committee found itself disbanded by 2017.

The first two Guardians of the Galaxy movies are now streaming on Disney+ while Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is due to hit theaters May 5, 2023. I Am Groot and the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special have yet to receive release dates.

What members of the Guardians would you like to see spin-off shows of? Let us know your thoughts either in the comments section or by hitting our writer @AdamBarnhardt up on Twitter to chat all things MCU!



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Technology

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Game: Skins and Costumes

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Image: Square Enix/Marvel

Next week, Square Enix is putting out another Marvel game, this one for the Guardians of the Galaxy. While it looks like a typical third-person action game where you control Star-Lord and command the other Guardians, there is one thing that warrants a special shoutout for how surprising it is.

Like every big superhero game, Guardians has around 40 in-game costumes that you can find throughout the game. Some are original designs, but most are pulled from the comics and films. IGN’s got a video highlighting the ones they managed to find during a recent preview, and they look pretty cool! The movie skins look good, and even costumes from the older comics seem to hold up fairly well. (Rocket in a suit and glasses from his rather excellent 2017 solo book looks awesome.) It’s pretty fun to see Drax from the movies do a combo with Groot in his skin from the 2015 “Black Vortex” comic event.

What’s interesting is that at the bottom of each description, not only do the costumes pulled from the comics highlight the comic where it first showed up, plus the writer and artist, they also highlight the lesser known folks behind the comics: the editors, cover artists, and even colorists. A small thing, sure, but it’s important at a time when creators for the Big Two aren’t being properly compensated the way they should be. And thus far, it’s the only game to be doing this: Insomniac’s two Spider-Man games don’t reference creators in any of their costumes, and ditto the Avengers game.

Does it make the game an automatic hit, obviously not. But hey, isn’t it nice of them to do that instead of just providing an in-game description and then just stopping there, as many recent superhero games tend to do?

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy releases next week on October 26 for PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC.

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Entertainment

There’s a Guardian Of The Galaxy in The Suicide Squad

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Pom Klementieff
Screenshot: HBO Max

The Suicide Squad marks once-and-future Marvel Cinematic Universe director James Gunn’s first movie for rivals DC, but the film still includes plenty of MCU crossover. Before Idris Elba played Bloodsport for Gunn, he guarded the Bifröst as Heimdall in Thor and its sequels; Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love And Thunder director Taika Waititi plays The Suicide Squad’s Ratcatcher, appearing in flashbacks as Ratcatcher 2’s dad.

But there’s someone else from the MCU that fans may have missed in The Suicide Squad. In a new interview with Variety, James Gunn says “no one, not a single person” has brought up to him “that there’s a Guardian Of The Galaxy in The Suicide Squad.” For those who didn’t notice, in the scene where the members of Task Force X go to the seedy Corto Maltese bar La Gatita Amable, one of the dancers is played by Mantis herself, Pom Klementieff. Gunn, who’s been paying attention to what fans say about the movie on Twitter, says he’s only seen two tweets where people have spotted her. And Klementieff hasn’t had many people reach out to her about the cameo, either, according to Gunn: “I talked to Pom the other day—I’m like, have people been asking you? She’s like, yeah, a couple people. But she’s just not being recognized. I’m like, what is going on? I can’t believe it!”

Klementieff first played Mantis—who has empathic powers that let her sense and manipulate others’ emotions through touch—in Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2. She appeared as the character in Infinity War and Endgame, and is set to reprise her role in Thor: Love And Thunder next year.

In the same interview, Gunn addressed the movie’s mediocre opening weekend box office debut, saying, “The Suicide Squad is made to be seen first and foremost on a big screen. I think it’s gonna work just fine on television. Listen, movies don’t last because they’re seen on the big screen,” he says. “Movies last because they’re seen on television. Jaws isn’t still a classic because people are watching it in theaters. I’ve never seen Jaws in a movie theater. It’s one of my favorite movies.”

With the Delta variant spreading globally at an overwhelming speed, it’s understandable that, given the option of watching it at home on HBO Max, many would rather do that. Gunn gets that too, saying that as much as he’d want his movies to be watched in theaters, it’s still not fully safe to do so. “We’ve still got COVID, because people won’t get vaccinated, which, you know, they should. Hopefully—hopefully—that will not be a big deal to us in a year. And if that’s the case, what’s going to happen? We don’t know. Nobody knows. I care, because I would rather have people be able to go to the movies. But also, if they don’t, I’m not going to go slit my wrists. I don’t care that much,” he explains.

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