With the current iteration of the team ending with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, there are other MCU characters that could keep the Guardians alive.
There are some Marvel Cinematic Universe characters that would perfectly fit the next iteration of the shared universe’s premiere cosmic team, following Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Once an obscure feature of Marvel Comics, the members of the Guardians of the Galaxy have grown to become some of the most popular heroes in the world, thanks to the work the MCU has done in bringing the team to live-action. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2‘s worldwide box office total of $863.8 million was an improvement on the original’s $773.3 million, and Marvel hopes to continue the upward trend with the final adventure for this iteration of the team.
While the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 cast features some new additions to the franchise, the core team consists of franchise mainstays Chris Pratt as Star-Lord, Zoe Saldaña as Gamora, Dave Bautista as Drax, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Pom Klementieff as Mantis, Vin Diesel as Groot, and Bradley Cooper as Rocket. With director James Gunn set to leave the MCU to oversee DC after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, some cast members should also be moving on from the MCU. Bautista confirmed Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is his last MCU movie, meaning a new iteration of the Guardians will have to be the MCU’s next move.
Thor
As a new Guardians of the Galaxy roster should be formed to deal with any potential exits of characters such as Drax, one MCU hero comes up as a possible first candidate, and perhaps even team leader. Chris Hemsworth’s Thor is the MCU’s most famous cosmic character, and with the hero likely leaving the Avengers to allow a new generation to take over the team, Thor would be free to fully embrace cosmic adventures. Between the last two Avengers movies — Infinity War and Endgame — and the beginning of Thor: Love and Thunder, Hemsworth’s character has plenty of experience being part of the Guardians of the Galaxy.
The character stayed with the Guardians for some time between the end of Avengers: Endgame and when they part ways early on in Thor: Love and Thunder. Thor’s chemistry with the Guardians team, particularly Star-Lord and Rocket Raccoon, as well as his god-like abilities, would make him a fine addition to the team. With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 possibly killing Rocket, as rumors and marketing teases suggest, Thor would have another reason for joining the team, as the two characters developed a close bond over the last couple of Avengers movies. With Thor finding his balance in Love and Thunder, he could also be the team’s new leader.
Hercules
Thor: Love and Thunder shocked audiences with the MCU debut of Hercules, played by Ted Lasso‘s Brett Goldstein. While the character is currently looking for revenge against Thor for embarrassing his father, Zeus, Hercules is a hero, and it should not be long before he and Thor make peace. When the character’s revenge quest is over, a possible move to join the Guardians of the Galaxy would be welcome. Goldstein has shown in his role as Roy Kent in Ted Lasso that he has impeccable comedic timing, which would fit in perfectly with the Guardians of the Galaxy. Besides, Hercules joined Marvel’s cosmic team in a recent comic book run.
Adam Warlock
While Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 serves as the swan song for the current iteration of the cosmic team, the movie could also be setting up the team’s MCU future. A possible new Guardians member is Will Poulter’s Adam Warlock. With Warlock’s most famous comic book moments being tied to the Infinity Saga’s story of Thanos and the Infinity Gauntlet, the character needs a new purpose in the MCU after his Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 debut. Warlock was first teased in a Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 post-credits scene, and given his connection to the franchise, he will likely be part of the Guardians’ new roster.
Moondragon
Moondragon is a special case, as she has yet to appear in the MCU. Gunn has previously denied that The Suicide Squad actress Daniela Melchior is playing Moondragon in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, although he did not deny a possible role for the character in the film. In the comics, Moondragon is Drax’s daughter. While the MCU has said Moondragon, or Kamaria, was killed, it is possible that Drax finds out his daughter was alive somewhere, sacrificing his life to free her. Moondragon has been a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy in the comics, and her joining the team to replace her father would be heartwarming.
The Punisher
Jon Bernthal has been confirmed to reprise his role as The Punisher from Netflix’s Defenders universe in next year’s Daredevil: Born Again series. While Frank Castle is usually a grounded character, the anti-hero has one variant that would be perfect as a member of the new Guardians of the Galaxy. Following another grounded story opposite Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock to reintroduce Bernthal as the Punisher, the MCU could do a version of the Marvel Comics story that saw the Punisher get imbued with the Spirit of Vengeance to become the Cosmic Ghost Rider. That version of the Punisher has a history with the Guardians of the Galaxy in the comics.
Nova
With a Nova series in development, the MCU will soon see the debut of one of Marvel’s most powerful cosmic heroes. Richard Rider, the first Nova, has been a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy in the comics. With Thanos’ destruction of the Nova Corps to retrieve the Power Stone on Xandar, the door is wide open for the MCU to do a version of Rider’s comic book story of being the Corps’ lone survivor, carrying the Nova Force, the entire strength of the Corps, within him. Nova will undoubtedly be a major cosmic player in the MCU, making him a prime candidate for the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Eros / Starfox
Marvel shocked the world by casting singer Harry Styles as none other than Thanos’ brother, Eros, in Eternals. Due to Eternals‘ poor reception, the sequel that would have addressed Eros’ MCU history is up in the air. Given Styles’ large fanbase, and his character’s direct connection to the MCU’s most famous villain, there is no doubt that Eros will be seen again in the MCU, even if Eternals 2 never happens. Eros, under his Starfox moniker, has served as the leader of a version of the Guardians of the Galaxy — the Dark Guardians. That team dealt with an attempt to resurrect Thanos, which would make for a great MCU story.
Wonder Man
A Wonder Man series is in development at Marvel Studios, with Aquaman‘s Yahya Abdul-Mateen II set to star as Simon Williams. In the comics, Wonder Man was part of an alternate future version of the Guardians of the Galaxy, using the codename “Hollywood,” which was a nod to Williams’ acting career. With Wonder Man being a project spearheaded by Destin Daniel Cretton, director of the upcoming Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, the character is likely to play a major role in the MCU going forward. Wonder Man’s ionic energy-based powers would be a great addition to the new iteration of Marvel’s premiere cosmic team after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
