'Guardians' director says third film is team's last, but wait!
Don't panic. James Gunn's wording leaves things open for interpretation, and there's no way the Guardians are retiring to Florida.
- Co-author of two Gen X pop-culture encyclopedia for Penguin Books. Won "Headline Writer of the Year" award for 2017, 2014 and 2013 from the American Copy Editors Society. Won first place in headline writing from the 2013 Society for Features Journalism.
"Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" is dominating the box office, and it would seem to have solidified itself as a mega-franchise Marvel could milk for years. But director James Gunn said in a tweet Saturday that the third film will wrap things up -- at least for this grouping of heroes.
Those words are carefully chosen, however. "This iteration" could mean anything, because even if the main group splits off, there could be individual movies showing the early lives of the various heroes, or they could regroup and add other characters. If we've learned anything from the Avengers, it's that Marvel heroes can assemble and reassemble in different groupings, while some beloved heroes depart for a while to lick wounds, deal with personal issues or head off to star in solo efforts.
Gunn has already said in a Facebook post that he'll stick with the "Guardians" for Vol. 3, and he's also an executive producer on "Avengers: Infinity War," which features some Guardians.
"In the end, my love for Rocket, Groot, Gamora, Star-Lord, Yondu, Mantis, Drax and Nebula -- and some of the other forthcoming heroes -- goes deeper than you guys can possibly imagine," Gunn wrote. "I feel they have more adventures to go on and things to learn about themselves and the wonderful and sometimes terrifying universe we all inhabit."
Gunn also wrote a lengthy Facebook post on Saturday thanking fans for embracing the films, and talking about how he found his respite in movies and music as a misfit kid who felt alone.
"(The Guardians are) a group of heartbroken misfits whose lives have been bereft of tenderness and connection and who have a nearly impossible time trusting themselves or others. But they're learning, one step at a time," Gunn wrote. "They are me. They are you. We are Groot."
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