James Gunn Hints Which Guardians Stars He Wants To Bring To The DCU, And Sign Me Up

The superhero genre has been thriving for years, which is why various studios have their own cinematic universe in play. Some talent has worked in a few of these franchises, including filmmaker James Gunn. In addition to helming the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise for Marvel, Gunn was recently named the co-CEO of the DCU. He also recently hinted at which Guardians actors he’d like to bring to the DCU, and sign me up. Here’s what he said.

Gunn did the impossible with the Guardians franchise, making the motley crew of unknown heroes into fan favorites. He dipped his toes into the waters of DC with The Suicide Squad and its TV spinoff Peacemaker, and now he’s the architect behind the shared universe as a whole. Gunn recently posted on Threads, where a fan asked if actors Chris Pratt or Pom Klementieff could get a DCU role as themselves.

Well, I’m intrigued. If James Gunn is unwilling to even consider the Star-Lord and Mantis actors playing themselves in the DCU, I have to wonder what he might be planning for them. Although technically Klementieff did have a cameo in The Suicde Squad. Still, I have to assume his plans for her are much bigger than that brief appearance.

James Gunn’s response on threads is just the latest example of the filmmaker communicating directly with the fans. Gunn is often shutting down rumors about his comic book projects, or offering intriguing tidbits about what’s to come. This news about Guardians stars and the DCU is in the latter category, and is sure to inspire some fan theories. Who could Chris Pratt and Pom Klementieff end up playing in the shared universe? Only time will tell.

With the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise seemingly wrapped up after Vol. 3, the door is open for James Gunn and company to move onto other projects. The end of Guardians 3 confirmed that Star-Lord would eventually be back, but the rest of the cosmic team’s future is unclear. Although given how much Gunn loves woking with his cast including Klementieff, it would make sense if she got a major DC role in the future. For her part, the Mantis actress has expressed interest in reuniting with him in this way.

Of course, the big question is exactly where we could see Pom Klementieff and Chris Pratt in the new DCU. Since Gunn and Peter Safran are kickstarting a new version of the shared universe, it seems like just about any character is up for grabs. This includes new characters or ones that we’ve previously seen on the big screen. After all, Henry Cavill isn’t playing Clark Kent in James Gunn’s movie Superman: Legacy.

Blue Beetle is in theaters now, and the next upcoming DC movie hitting theaters is Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom on December 20th. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.