The Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy directed by James Gunn may have concluded, but the MCU keeps on going. And just like in Marvel Comics, that means the Guardians’ story isn’t over — even the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 teases a continuation. Even though there isn’t a ton of information available just yet, let’s break down what we do know about the Guardians’ next appearance.
In the middle of the credits and at the very end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, there are two scenes. Both focus on the Marvel superhero team the Guardians of the Galaxy, but the latter is dedicated to the memory of their late leader Peter Quill (Chris Pratt).
Check out some of the other new Guardians of the Galaxy content we’ve published:
- What is the Total Running Time of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3?
- Gunn Unveils Guardians Soundtrack: Awesome Mix Vol. 3!
Meet the New Guardians of the Galaxy
Some of the Guardians leave at the end of Vol. 3 to seek self-discovery or return to their pre-Guardians lives, while others remain to do the bulk of the Guarding. This scene introduces us to a nearly new cast of Guardians, including Adam Warlock (Will Poulter), Kraglin (Sean Gunn), Groot (Vin Diesel), Cosmo (Maria Bakalova), and one of the “evolved” children of the High Evolutionary, and Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper, Sean Gunn).
After saving some settlers from a stampede of unknown beasts on an unknown planet, Rocket puts on “Come and Get Your Love” from Redbone’s 1973 album Wovoka on the Zune Peter gave him as a sweet nod to the film that started it all.
When will this incarnation of the Guardians of the Galaxy return? No one has a clue! Nobody outside of Marvel Studios knew about it. The kid on the new team is called Phyla in the actual credits (the stuff that plays in between the scenes of the credits rolling), which is a nice Easter egg for comic book fans.
Look at Phyla-Vell, a character from Marvel Comics. She is related to the original Captain Marvel, a Kree warrior named Mar-Vell, in a convoluted web of cosmic intrigue. Is it safe to assume that a new Marvel hero was introduced into the MCU thanks to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3?
To be clear, the High Evolutionary and the Guardians of the Galaxy have nothing to do with Phyla-Vell’s comic book origin. Nerds will take note regardless of whether this is the beginning of Phyla-Vell’s story in the MCU or simply the introduction of a character named Phyla.
The Legendary Star-lord is Making a Comeback
If you stick around until the end of the credits, you’ll understand Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’s bigger-picture vision for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We return to Peter Quill, who appears to have made himself at home with his grandfather. The two are seen eating breakfast cereal and discussing the lawn-mowing habits of their neighbors.
While something very ordinary is happening, the title card proclaims, “The legendary Star-Lord will return.” Where, though? Until Avengers: Kang Dynasty in 2025, neither Star-Lord nor Chris Pratt has been included in any announced plans by Marvel, and he does not appear to be a lock for any upcoming MCU projects.
Is Marvel planning a Star-Lord series for Disney Plus, or a solo movie for him to appear in? Do they hope to use cameos in the future to promote other films or TV shows? However, we won’t know for sure until an official statement is made.
