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James Gunn has repeatedly confirmed that Guardians 3 will mark the end of the current Guardians line-up because many characters will either die or retire. But it won't mark the franchise's end, as Marvel might be inclined to continue with a new Guardians line-up.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Gunn also hinted that the Guardians will have a future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but Vol. 3 will be "the last time people will see this team of Guardians." Even Marvel producer Louis D'Esposito confirmed at the Guardians premiere that the franchise will continue after the departure of James Gunn.
The following list predicts every member that could join the new team of Guardians after Vol. 3.
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Predicting the new team after Guardians 3
Dave Bautista has confirmed that Guardians 3 will mark his last outing, and he won't undo his character's ending for any further paychecks. Zoe Saldana also confirmed her retirement from Marvel after Vol. 3.
Since the new line-up is supposed to have a major shakeup, Star-Lord may also retire as he could go back to Earth and live there for a while, along with his newfound sister, Mantis. That way, he and Mantis could return in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, while Rocket could become the new leader.
Rocket Raccoon
Rocket was always the second in command in the original Guardians team, so he could take on the leadership role once Star-Lord retires. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has been teasing his demise, but just as Avengers: Endgame subverted everyone's expectations by preventing Captain America from dying, Guardians 3 might do the same.
That way, Rocket could continue the franchise by becoming a central figure. His experience will be very useful to marshal the next generation of Guardians.
Groot
Considering that we’ve already seen Groot die twice, Guardians 3 will not kill him off a third time. Teenage Groot has become this buffed-up Alpha-Groot after Thor: Love and Thunder. But after Vol. 3, we expect Groot to continue with Guardians 2.0 along with Rocket.
He’d be the team muscle because he will only get stronger from this point onward. In fact, Groot's next appearance could showcase the biggest and most powerful version of the character.
Nebula
While Dave Bautista and Zoe Saldana have confirmed that Guardians 3 will be their last film, Karen Gillan has said no such thing. It’s possible that Nebula could perish in Vol. 3. But if she survives, then she will surely continue to tag along with the squad.
She and Rocket formed an intricate bond during their five years together, saving the galaxy between Infinity War and Endgame's time jump. So, her character deserves to be in Guardians 2.0, especially with her new power upgrades in Vol. 3.
Adam Warlock
Will Poulter’s Adam Warlock is coming in as baby Adam Warlock because Ayesha activates him during Vol. 3’s timeline in the present day. He will be sent after the Guardians to take them down, but since he is a heroic character in the comics, it’d be safe to assume that he will turn into a hero in future MCU appearances as well.
Hence, he becomes the perfect character to join the new-age Guardians of the Galaxy under the leadership of Rocket. Rolling with this team, we’ll see his powers and personality evolve even further. Being the strongest member of the team, he might be groomed to become a future leader too.
Other new characters
Since the Guardians' line-up is supposed to look different, one or more new faces are needed besides Adam Warlock, and Lylla could very well be one of them. The previous Guardians era had Peter Quill and Gamora as the couple in the team. The new team could have Rocket Raccoon and Lylla.
Besides her, we could see Nova because he is a character James Gunn has always wanted to introduce in the Guardians movies. He couldn’t be added to Vol. 1 or Vol. 2, but rumors suggest that he could be introduced towards the end of Guardians 3. Hence, Nova could come in and bolster the squad as well.
Drax’s daughter, Moon Dragon, is a Guardians member in the comics, so she could be a new addition. Besides her, Beta Ray Bill or Quasar could also become future members, but we don’t expect to see them in Guardians 3.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 hits theaters on May 5, 2023.
