Can Star-Lord Fit In Other MCU Properties?
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(WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!)
We are a few weeks past the release of Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 and the internet spoiler embargo is mostly over, but be wary going forward if you haven’t seen it yet. At the end of the movie, Peter Quill, aka Star Lord, decides to leave the team and head back to Earth. His aim is to find his grandfather, Jason Quill, who he left behind when he was taken by the Ravagers following his mother’s death. The series never really discusses the Earth fallout of Peter leaving the planet, especially within his family, but in the final movie, the Guardians talk to Peter about why doesn’t he go back to Earth and reconnect with his Earth family. Peter is clearly against this at first, but all that changes by the end of the film.
In the movies end sequence where many of the Guardians get their own version of a happy ending, we see Peter return to Earth (specifically, back to his former home) where his grandfather, played by returning actor Gregg Henry, is still living, and there is a wonderful and teary reunion for both. There is an additional post-credit scene where Peter and Jason are sitting at the table eating breakfast together, seemingly showing Peter going back to normal life. We could have left everything there, but there is a title card which says that “Star Lord will return.” With no Guardians 4 coming anytime soon, how does Star-Lord come back into the MCU fold?
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Chris Pratt talked with GamesRadar shortly after the release of the movie and said, “It would be strange to continue Peter’s story without James [Gunn]”. He continues, “so to continue to tell the story, it would really be important to honor what he’s done in the first three films and to honor what the fans have grown to love about the character and simply do it because people might show up to pay for it…”
Between Pratt’s willingness to return and the cryptic title card, how can Star-Lord come back into the MCU fold? Well, there are a couple options on the horizon for Star Lord to return to the movies. One of the first important factors is that he is already on Earth, and the next set of movies all appear to be set on our planet, so there’s a start. Secondly, he is aware of most of the remaining players from his Avengers days (Endgame) so he would be familiar with the heroes we know, such as Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, Falcon (aka Captain America), and even Captain Marvel. Finally, Star-Lord could return as any actor, thanks to the wonder that is multiverses. So even if Pratt does not come back, someone else could return with the mantle.
As mentioned, Peter returns to earth and appears to settle into a normalized life. We know that the next slate of Phase 5 for the MCU is going to center around Earth, so having him on the same planet as the action is already a good start. From now until 2024, we have The Marvels, Secret Invasion, Loki season 2, Echo, Captain America: New World Order, Thunderbolts, Deadpool 3, Blade, Ironheart, Daredevil: Born Again, and Agatha: Coven of Chaos all appearing to be earthbound titles. And their release dates, especially the ones in 2024, have enough time for Pratt to join as a last-minute addition, or even in a post-credit scene. For example, having Star-Lord in Thunderbolts would seem like a good starting point for him. A former space fighter with a dodgy past trying to relive old glory? Or maybe missing his old crew, and joining a ragtag group of anti-heroes to feel those feelings again? Seems like a good way to return.
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While Star-Lord is aware of many MCU characters, most of the upcoming releases feature characters not really known to him. Seeing him jump into the fray with a bunch of random people may seem a little strange, but with the buildup to an Avengers-like event with The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars, he may have no choice but to rejoin the fight. It would not be surprising if many of those we thought were long gone from the franchises makes a return. Eagle-eyed fans will surely be watching for casting calls and set photos to see if Pratt is on-site.
Given where Phases 5 and 6 are going within the MCU (multiverses), anyone could become Star-Lord. Heck, we even had an animated show (What If?) that gave us a T’Challa version of Star-Lord. So perhaps just because Chris Pratt is not around anymore, doesn’t mean we can’t have the character back, even if it is under another actor’s name.
James Gunn is off to reestablish the DCU and the actors who worked with him have conveyed a sense of loyalty to him. Other actors from the Guardians franchise, such as Dave Bautista and Zoe Saldana, have come right out and said they are not returning to their roles. It’s possible Chris Pratt is, in a way, saying the same thing. But no matter what, Star-Lord made a huge impact during his time within the MCU, and to leave his character behind is definitely a disservice to the fans. We shouldn’t expect him to be away from our screens for very long.
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Sources: GamesRadar, Variety
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