Marvel Studios officially has a new Guardians of the Galaxy project on the horizon. Before he became co-CEO of DC Studios, James Gunn was one of only three directors to ever finish a trilogy in the MCU, telling the emotional story of the Guardians of the Galaxy. It's safe to say that when Gunn found the Guardians ahead of their 2014 MCU debut, nobody besides comic enthusiasts really knew who they were, and yet, characters like Groot and Rocket are now household names. The now-DCU lead sent off his ragtag group of space-faring misfits in 2023's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which ended with the Guardians mostly going their own ways and a new roster taking its place.
Marvel Animation finally announced that the next chapter in the Marvel Zombies storyline, following last year's Season 1, won't be a traditional Season 2. Instead, a new two-part special will be released every Halloween from 2027 to 2029, starting with Winter Soldier, continuing with Fist of Knonshu, and concluding with Marvel Zombies: The Last Guardian, which will mark Marvel Studios' first Guardians of the Galaxy project without James Gunn.
The jury is still out on who this "Last Guardian" is in the Marvel Zombies universe, although Rocket and Groot were decimated by Thanos in Season 1, putting them out of contention. As the zombified Mad Titan already had all six Infinity Stones, that would also indicate that he sacrificed Gamora on Vormir for the Soul Stone.
Marvel Animation boss Brad Winderbaum teased upon the announcement, "I won't tell you who the Last Guardian is, but it's very, very exciting." The most likely contenders for that honor are Star-Lord, Drax, Mantis, and Nebula, unless it was perhaps one of the Guardians' newer members, like Adam Warlock, whose regenerative powers could help cure the zombie plague in this final chapter.
Technically, 2023's I Am Groot Season 2 was the first Guardians release without Gunn, as he stepped back from his executive producer role on Season 1. However, due to his work on the premiere season and his long history with the Guardians, he was still credited with a "Special Thanks" for the Groot shorts.
5 Planned Guardians of the Galaxy Spin-Offs That Could've Continued the Story
The Legendary Star-Lord
The Guardians of the Galaxy may be done and dusted in the MCU for now, but Vol. 3's post-credits scene confirmed that "The Legendary Star-Lord will Return," even though updates have been scarce since then. Regardless, Chris Pratt has been clear that Marvel "make good on their promises," confirming that Peter Quill will still return, although he seemingly ruled out a 2026 comeback.
At one point, James Gunn confirmed that he envisioned a "fish out of water" Star-Lord spin-off movie about him re-adapting to life on Earth after Vol. 3. The project could still be revived at Marvel Studios without Gunn, who is busy running DC Studios, but they may require a new story, as so many years have passed.
Many have speculated that Pratt will reprise Star-Lord in Avengers: Secret Wars on Battleworld after sitting out Doomsday this year. There have been rumors that the Guardians' former leader will assemble a new cosmic team, the Annihilators, which could evolve the once-planned Star-Lord solo movie into a fresh ensemble.
Rocket & Groot
James Gunn always knew that Rocket's origin story with the High Evolutionary was next after uncovering Peter Quill's backstory. That story ultimately unfolded in Vol. 3, but there was a time that he was going to do that in a Rocket and Groot movie.
In terms of whether the talking raccoon and living tree could still get their flowers in a spin-off movie without Gunn, the chances are extraordinarily low. For one, Rocket voice actor Bradley Cooper has officially retired from his MCU superhero role, and it's tough to imagine the role being recast anytime soon.
Drax & Mantis
It seems that James Gunn was eager to pair off more of the Guardians into standalone adventures, as he also had a "brilliant idea" for a Drax and Mantis spin-off, according to the former's actor, Dave Bautista. However, the former wrestler noted that the studio hadn't seemed "very interested" in the project.
Unfortunately, while Bautista's Drax and Pom Klementieff's Mantis are beloved, they work best amongst a larger cast. In a way, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special was a Drax and Mantis-focused story that Gunn wanted to make, and there probably won't be any more without the filmmaker to champion it.
Ravagers
James Gunn was advocating for the MCU's cosmic pirates, the Ravagers, to lead a TV show since 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy, long before Disney+ existed. It seems that he was open to the show starring Sylvester Stallone's Stakar Ogord or a broader exploration of other Ravagers and their lives.
At risk of sounding like a broken record, the time for a Ravagers spin-off project, be it as a movie or series, has probably come and gone for the MCU. While it could have been a meaningful companion to the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, had Disney+ existed in the Infinity Saga, the demand for such a project has passed.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 4
While James Gunn sent off his original team of Guardians in style with Vol. 3, the movie concluded with a brand new roster assembled under Rocket's leadership. The new team included Kraglin, Cosmo, Adam Warlock, Phyla-Vell, and Blurp, as well as familiar Guardians of the Galaxy mainstays, Rocket and Groot.
Gunn previously offered his support for a new Guardians of the Galaxy movie if a filmmaker really "brings themselves to it" with their own distinct style. Still, with Bradley Cooper saying that he is retired from playing Rocket and Kraglin actor Sean Gunn now over at DC Studios with his brother, Vol. 3's ending may never truly be followed up on, at least not with this exact team of Guardians.
BONUS.) T'Challa's Star-Lord
One Guardians of the Galaxy-themed project that will sadly never happen but still deserves acknowledgment is the planned What If...? spin-off starring Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa, who became Star-Lord in Season 1. The alternate-reality story saw Yondu and the Ravagers accidentally take T'Challa from Earth instead of Peter Quill, thereby becoming an even more heroic version of Star-Lord.
Before Boseman's passing, Marvel Studios was planning for the T'Challa Variant to lead a Disney+ spin-off with his own crew of Guardians, continuing the story that began in What If...?, similarly to Marvel Zombies. This T'Challa was so influential that he reformed the Ravagers into a Robin Hood-esque team and even convinced Josh Brolin's Thanos to abandon his genocidal plans and fight for good.
