James Gunn is knee-deep in superheroes right now. Not only is he in the middle of finishing up his new DC film, “The Suicide Squad,” scheduled to hit theaters in 2021, but the filmmaker is also prepping work on his upcoming third ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ film, with an unknown release date. But even though his immediate future is full of superpowered beings, it appears that there is an end in sight.
According to a recent Instagram Q&A (via Comicbook.com), Gunn responded to the claims that he almost left before ‘Guardians 2.’ And in doing so, he also shed light on the future of the franchise.
“I absolutely never said I wouldn’t do a Vol 2,” Gunn told a fan in the Q&A. “As I planned to do a trilogy from the beginning if the first one worked. I have no plans to do a 4th.”
For fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the formula carefully crafted by Marvel Studios, the idea that ‘Guardians’ would end after a third film isn’t at all surprising. The most popular franchises in the history of the MCU end after three films, including ‘Captain America’ and ‘Iron Man.’ The only major franchise to go forward past a third film is ‘Thor,’ but let’s be real, when you swing and miss on a sequel like “Thor: The Dark World,” you’re allowed to get a re-do and work on a fourth film.
READ MORE: Taika Waititi Talks ‘Thor 4’ & Says Film Makes ‘Ragnarok’ Feel “Very Safe”
The good news for fans of ‘Guardians’ is the fact that the end of the franchise doesn’t necessarily signal the end of the characters. Unlike Cap and Tony Stark, there are enough characters in “Guardians of the Galaxy” to warrant spin-offs or co-starring slots in other productions. With ‘Infinity War’ and ‘Endgame,’ we’ve only scratched the surface of how the space heroes can interact with the larger MCU.
And honestly, if James Gunn is done saying what he needs to say with ‘Guardians’ after ‘Vol. 3,’ Marvel should probably move forward anyway. There are far too many characters and possibilities to drive any of these franchises into the ground.
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” doesn’t have a release date yet. Many predicted it would arrive in 2022, but with the production delays and Marvel’s Phase 4 lineup becoming fairly crowded, it wouldn’t be surprising if ‘Vol 3’ arrives in 2023, which would mark six full years since the second film. That’s a hell of a break.