Thor Was Never In James Gunn’s Guardians Of The Galaxy 3
According to the statement, James Gunn had no intention of including Thor in Guardians of the Galaxy 3.
James Gunn had initially intended to exclude Thor and Avengers: Endgame from his original plan for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. In the past, the Guardians of the Galaxy had teamed up with other Marvel Cinematic Universe superheroes in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame.
After Endgame, the Guardians set off on a journey to find Gamora and embark on a new adventure, with the added presence of Thor. Although it appeared that Thor would join the Guardians in the third installment, this was not the case as it was separate from Gunn’s original plan.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, James Gunn reiterated his previous statement that Thor would not be part of Guardians of the Galaxy 3. He also disclosed how he would have handled the team’s conclusion in Avengers: Endgame.
According to Gunn, he would have ignored Thor’s involvement and proceeded with the story as if he had never joined the team. Gunn stated, “I was just gonna start up, and there’s no Thor.” Fortunately, the plot was resolved in Thor: Love and Thunder, where the Guardians and Thor parted ways before the events of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
The Absence Of Thor From Guardians Of The Galaxy 3 Is For The Best
Gunn, who is widely associated with the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, sometimes faces unexpected challenges when other filmmakers utilize the characters he introduced on film. For example, in “Avengers: Endgame” (2019), Thor teamed up with Star-Lord and the rest of the Guardians, which Gunn didn’t anticipate and didn’t plan to include in his upcoming “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” scheduled for release on May 5, 2023.
Despite his involvement with DC’s cinematic universe, Gunn’s name will always be linked to the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise.
Although it would have been enjoyable to watch Chris Hemsworth’s Thor interact humorously with Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord and the other team members in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, it would be more appropriate for the film’s emphasis to be exclusively on the team.
Even if it was minor, Thor’s inclusion could have detracted from the primary characters of the franchise, especially since Hemsworth is one of the few remaining original members of the Avengers in the MCU, making him a fan favorite.
Thor: Love and Thunder effectively separated Thor and the Guardians, as Star-Lord had an enlightening conversation with Thor as they went their separate ways. Now that Thor is no longer a factor, the spotlight can be exclusively on how the story of the team concludes in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Some of the Guardians may conclude their time in the MCU with this movie, as Dave Bautista, who plays Drax, has confirmed that he will be departing with the film.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 could potentially end the story of one of its members through death, as its predecessors did with the original Groot in the first movie and Yondu in the second. Rocket Raccoon appears to be a prime candidate for an emotional death in the film.
The trilogy finale strongly emphasizes Rocket, who has a personal score to settle with the villain High Evolutionary. If Rocket were to sacrifice himself to save the team, it would provide a poignant conclusion to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which centers on the team rather than forcing Thor for continuity reasons.
Taika Waititi took a bullet for James Gunn with Thor
According to Rolling Stone, James Gunn stated that Taika Waititi’s decision to incorporate the Guardians of the Galaxy in “Thor: Love and Thunder” allowed Gunn to maintain his initial draft for “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”.
The original draft excluded Chris Hemsworth’s character, the God of Thunder, and instead concentrated on exploring the backstory of Rocket Raccoon, portrayed by Bradley Cooper.
According to James Gunn in an interview with Rolling Stone, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige informed him that Taika Waititi would be directing “Thor: Love and Thunder” and that the Guardians of the Galaxy would appear in the film. Gunn expressed relief and gratitude, as he had no intention of including Thor in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.”
He admitted that his original plan was to start the movie without Thor. Still, Waititi’s decision to feature the Guardians in his movie allowed Gunn to stick to his original vision. Gunn credited Waititi for taking a bullet for him, as he did not have to include Thor in his film.
At the 2022 San Diego Comic-Con, James Gunn revealed to fans that “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” would be his farewell to the franchise and Marvel. According to a report by Deadline, Gunn confirmed that the movie would conclude the story he had been telling throughout the trilogy. Despite this, he reassured fans that not everyone would die but rather that the story would come to a good end.
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Will Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol.3 Reference Thor?
The Guardians of the Galaxy had a relatively brief appearance in Thor: Love and Thunder, lasting at least ten minutes at best. Additionally, their involvement in the movie didn’t cause significant disruptions or changes to their storyline, as everything remained stable for the team.
Therefore, Thor 4 effectively resolved any loose ends and restored the status quo for the Guardians.
It’s still being determined whether Gunn will include any reference to Thor in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, even though he previously stated that he didn’t take Thor: Love and Thunder into account while writing the script.
There may be no reference to Thor since the upcoming movie is centered solely on the Guardians as it aims to conclude this version of the team’s story.
While James Gunn may include some subtle nods or references to the Guardians’ encounters with Thor in reshoots, the primary focus of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be on the team itself, and Thor will not have any impact on the story or the characters.
