Avengers 5: James Gunn Reveals If Guardians Vol. 3 Sets Up Kang's Future

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 director James Gunn revealed whether his new MCU threequel sets up any part of Kang the Conqueror's future in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.

Kang's run in the MCU leading up to Avengers 5 has been a key focus in the Multiverse Saga, starting off with his Variant's debut in Loki Episode 6 and then serving as the main villain in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania.

With at least a dozen projects comprising the MCU's Phase 5 slate and numerous others in Phase 6, Kang and his Variants are sure to play a part in more than a few movies and TV shows debuting in the next few years.

And while Ant-Man 3 served as the first real step in setting up Avengers 5, fans will now look at every upcoming entry to see how it plays into the greater landscape of the growing MCU.

Will Guardians 3 Set Up Kang?

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 director James Gunn addressed a fan comment on Instagram regarding whether his MCU threequel sets up Jonathan Majors' Kang the Conqueror in any way.

The fan expressed hope that Vol. 3 is "focused on the GOTG (Guardians of the Galaxy)" rather than "setting up more Kang stuff," even while noting how much they enjoy the Multiverse story:

"Please tell me this film is focused on the GOTG and not setting up more Kang stuff. I love Kang and the multiverse, but the GOTG franchise is my favorite in the MCU. 'Volume 2' still makes give me goosebumps in that final battle, there’s just so much emotion."

Gunn made it clear that his movie is "about ending the story of these Guardians" rather than setting up something bigger, even noting that he's in the dark about what's going on in the rest of the MCU:

"'Vol 3' is about ending the story of these Guardians, not about setting up anything else. I don’t even know what’s going on with the other Marvel movies."

When Will Kang Show Up Next?

James Gunn has always kept the Guardians of the Galaxy largely separate from the rest of the MCU, which appears to be exactly what he's doing this time around too.

While Kang is unquestionably a being somewhat based in the cosmos, the Guardians have their own mission to worry about with Chukwudi Iwuji's High Evolutionary. And particularly with this being the final movie for this version of the team, Gunn is ensuring that they take the spotlight fully rather than having them in a movie that only helps set up something later down the road.

As for Kang, his Victor Timely Variant is already confirmed to play a key role in Loki Season 2 later this year, which should only be the first of a few appearances in the rest of the Multiverse Saga.

He's also been rumored for an appearance in Moon Knight Season 2, likely as his Rama-Tut Variant that was shown in Ant-Man 3's mid-credits scene, although fans are still waiting to find out more official news on that project.

And while not having Kang in Guardians 3 is a choice that Gunn felt comfortable making, the villain's absence shouldn't take away from an adventure that's already rumored to have a massive impact on viewers.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will debut in theaters on May 5, and Avengers 5 will then hit the big screen on May 2, 2025.