Will There Be More Guardians of the Galaxy Movies? The Answer Is Complicated

"Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3," released in theaters May 5, is the end of a trilogy that started way back in 2014 with "Guardians of the Galaxy." But MCU fans know Marvel is more than happy to keep series of films going long past a trilogy; we already have "Thor 4," and "Captain America 4" is coming in 2024. So is Guardians of the Galaxy going to continue past this third installment?

Director James Gunn, who helmed all three films, has been clear that this is his last movie for Marvel. He's recently taken over DC Studios (with Peter Safran), and he's focusing his effort on building out a new DC Universe.

Some of the cast have also said that they won't be returning to their Marvel roles. Dave Bautista, who plays Drax the Destroyer, said in a 2023 interview with GQ that this would be his Marvel finale, and he doubled down in a February interview on "The Tonight Show." "I don't know why it's news," he said."This is my seventh film as Drax. And my third Guardians. It was like our trilogy. That's kind of what we all signed up for, to do a trilogy. And I think this will be the last version of our Guardians of the Galaxy." He added that Drax's arc in the new film is a "perfect exit" that he would never want to "tarnish."

Zoe Saldaña, who plays Gamora, also told The Hollywood Reporter in an interview published April 26 that this is her last Marvel film as well. "I don't think this is the end for the Guardians. It is the end for me, for Gamora," she said. Pom Klementieff also told the outlet of her future in a Gunn-less Guardians film, "I can't imagine playing Mantis with someone else writing the words."

THR said Gunn is "enthusiastic" about Marvel continuing the Guardians with a new lineup (which fans get a preview of in "Vol. 3"), but he's also "protective" of the characterizations he helped build. Marvel has not officially announced any more Guardians films or projects. But there is one Guardians character fans can seemingly expect to see again: Chris Pratt's Peter Quill.

After "GOTG Vol. 3"'s end-credits scene, a title comes up that says, "The Legendary Star-Lord will return." "The Legendary Star-Lord" is the title of a series of comics that Marvel published from 2014 to 2015 that followed Peter's adventures as Star-Lord alone, away from the other Guardians. The inclusion of this title card seems to signal that while there might not be a fourth Guardians movie on the horizon, Peter will likely get his own solo project — whether a movie or show — down the line.

Pratt weighed in on continuing the movie without Gunn in a May 2 interview with Total Film magazine, and he explained he wasn't necessarily on board. "It would be strange to continue Peter's story without James," Pratt admitted. "He's done such a masterful job in the first three films. We really found the voice of Peter Quill together and without him, obviously, I would never have had this opportunity. He writes it, he directs it, he dreams up the music, it's his imagination on screen. 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 not simply do it because people might show up to pay for it, you know?"

He added, "So maybe down the road if something makes sense I would do it but it would really have to check a lot of the right boxes."

It seems that when it comes time for Marvel to continue the Guardians legacy, the actors think they'll have big shoes to fill.

"Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" is in theaters now.