Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is set to release on May 5, 2023, wrapping up a trilogy of films that many MCU fans would never have believed could work. James Gunn, the director of the upcoming installment and the first two movies, was able to take lesser-known characters from within the Marvel franchise and make them household names.
Guardians 3 recently wrapped filming and will now go into post-production ahead of its release. Gunn, who has often been known to interact with fans across social media, recently talked about how there were many who doubted the cast and crew before the release of the first installment.
The first Guardians of the Galaxy film overcame its struggles and proved the naysayers wrong, making over $750 million worldwide. The sequel netted even more money, crossing the $850 million mark, and if the trend continues, Vol. 3 has a chance to break $1 billion.
Even though the first two installments have all seen a considerable amount of success, there are still some behind-the-scenes struggles present. In a franchise as big as the MCU, it can sometimes be difficult to keep up with every single detail.
James Gunn Talks About MCU Canon
In an interview with The Playlist, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 director James Gunn was asked about his recent DC Comics series, Peacemaker, and if it was in the same universe as the rest of the DCEU.
Gunn confirmed that it was, and then went on to talk about the MCU canon, particularly how it can get confusing at times. He admitted to knowing that there are fans that "take these universes very, very seriously," and that it can be "hard for (him)" at times to get everyone on the same page. He also went on to mention actor Will Poulter, who will be playing Adam Warlock in the upcoming film:
"Yes. [Peacemaker] in that [DCEU] world, I mean, we have our own little corner of that. I think some people, they take these universes very, very seriously and it’s hard for me, I do it on Guardians when I’m working on Guardians Vol. 3, and somebody says, 'Well, but in, Avengers: Endgame; Will [Poulter] said that.' And then I always jokingly say, 'Well, that’s not canon.'"
The director continued by saying that, even when someone is in a position where they have "a lot of control," keeping his Guardians 3 completely in line with MCU continuity could be a struggle. especially when many of the main Guardians members are having separate adventures in the Avengers and Thor franchises. Gunn then circled back around to Peacemaker, confirming that it is definitely set in the same universe as other DCEU projects:
"I mean, when you’re working with different people taking on the same characters, and even when I have a lot of control as I do with the Guardians or whatever, it could be difficult. But [Peacemaker] is still within the same world as Jason Momoa, Ezra [Miller], and those guys."
The Many Bottom Line of MCU Canon
The MCU is a franchise that has been around for over a decade. Marvel Studios continues to produce more projects within the universe every single year, and as of 2022, there are over 30 films and Disney+ TV series that are all connected to one another. The studio does have an overseer in Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, though, who knows the ins and outs of every single corner and alleyway and what exactly is canon and what is not.
The bottom line is that there are so many moving parts within the franchise and so many intricate details, that it is easy to understand why some people may not be on the same page when it comes to canon. James Gunn is one of the most praised and well-known filmmakers in the entire entertainment industry, so for him to admit that there can be some difficulties, it must mean that it is true.
However, MCU and Guardians of the Galaxy fans alike can rest assured that Gunn's upcoming film will line up perfectly with the rest of the franchise. With the filming process finished, and a set release date, it seems as though everything is going smoothly for the ending of the trilogy.
