Mantis actor Pom Klementieff spoke in a recent interview on the potential future of the Guardians of the Galaxy in the MCU after the third movie of the team's trilogy drops this May.
Klementieff's Mantis was most recently seen in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special and will make her next appearance in May 2023's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. During the Holiday Special, it was revealed that Mantis is, in fact, Star-Lord (Chris Pratt)'s sister, cementing the two characters as not only sharing a found family but sharing a biological family too.
While fans get excited for the third installment in the Guardians' story, director James Gunn has continued to remind everyone that "this is the end for us, the last time people will see this team of Guardians." The Marvel veteran filmmaker has made clear to fans that this movie is a wrapping-up point both for the team and for him as a director for this team.
MCU Actor Gives Hope for More Guardians
In a recent interview on the D23 Inside Disney podcast, Pom Klementieff (Mantis) teases that, despite Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn's continued reiteration that this is the end of this group of Guardians, there is still hope, saying the team and franchise is not "over, over," but that Vol. 3 will serve as an emotional "end of the chapter ... [for] the Guardians of the Galaxy family:"
D23: "Any hints at what we can expect from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3?"
Klementieff: "Oh, I can’t say much, because the movie’s gonna be released a long time from now in May. But what I can say is that, again, it’s gonna be very funny but also extremely emotionally. And it’s gonna be, in some ways, the end of the chapter, you know, at the Guardians of the Galaxy family. So, we’ll see what happens after, you know? It’s not like, ‘Over, over,’ but it’s still… it’s gonna be different after, for sure."
Klementieff also said that she would "for sure" be willing to work on spin-offs for her character, Mantis, after giving a stand-out performance in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.
D23: "I mean based off of the comedic chops you showed in the Holiday Special, I’m ready for Mantis spin-offs and Mantis series…"
Klementieff: "Oh, that’d be fun. For sure."
Will Vol. 3 Really Ben the End for the Guardians?
Given that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will serve as an endpoint of some kind, fans can expect an emotional third installment to the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise.
The movie's trailer, which was released on Dec. 1, showcased the sentimental tone the movie will likely take on. Between seeing the raw emotions shown by the characters and hearing the heartfelt dialogue, both from the trailer alone, audiences should be prepared for an emotional final chapter.
Further, fans have theorized the possibility of one or more of the Guardians will not survive the third installment, with indications from Dave Bautista (Drax) that his fan-favorite character might be making his final appearance in the May film.
Gunn explained:
"I just want to be true to the characters, the story and give people the wrap-up that they deserve for the story. That’s always a little bit scary; I’m doing my best.”
After almost a decade of Guardians storytelling in the MCU, a well-deserved wrap-up is bound to be full of the emotion and human connection the Guardians are known to have.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 releases on May 5, 2023.
Gillian Blum has been a writer at The Direct since 2022, reporting primarily from New York City. Though she covers news from across the entertainment industry, Gillian has a particular focus on Marvel and DC, including comics, movies, and television shows. She also commonly reports on Percy Jackson, Invincible, and other similar franchises.
