Although Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is the closure of the saga within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it is not the end for some of the characters that have been part of that narrative. It is likely that they will eventually appear in other projects within the franchise. Or at least that’s what a comment suggests. James Gunn made through his profile on Twitter.
Long before the premiere of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the film was already announced as a closure. The saga seemed to have given its all, within the logic of trilogies that are handled in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In addition, it was already known that James Gunn had assumed the creative direction of the DC Extended Universe. Therefore, there was no other, it was time to say goodbye.
However, not all the characters have said goodbye to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. One of those who could return is the High Evolutionary. He is one of the figures that has been best valued in terms of criticism, with not a few comments pointing out that he is one of the best-built villains in the franchise since Thanos. Taking this into account, in a context in which adversaries do not abound, his continuity could make sense.
The last installment of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 focuses on exploring the past Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper). In that sense, the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji) has a close bond with him. Therefore, the narrative development of each character goes hand in hand with that of the other. Towards the end of the film, it remains unclear what the villain’s future will be.
James Gunn and the future of the High Evolutionary beyond Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
At one point on the last stretch of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Drax (Dave Bautista) can be briefly seen taking over the High Evolutionary’s body and pulling it out of the chaos. It is an instant, but it was confirmed by Miguel Ángel Acevedo Montserrat, visual effects artist on the film.
This has sparked theories related to the future of the High Evolutionary, especially about whether or not the character is still alive. About this, someone on Twitter asked James Gunn about it. What is the director’s response? The next: “For people who want the spoilerswhat is indicated in the article is indeed the film”.
That is to say, yes, the High Evolutionary is still alive. Does this mean that he will return in an upcoming production of the Marvel Cinematic Universe? There is no confirmation about it. At the moment, the character is not expected to be directly related to other projects. However, in this context, it is an option that could perhaps be explored later within the franchise. But now without James Gunn.
In late 2022, James Gunn and Peter Safran took over as co-CEOs of DC Studios. The director is the highest figure in terms of creative decisions related to the DC Extended Universe. Therefore, his focus will be on this franchise. It remains to be seen if, in the future, any aspect of the High Evolutionary’s history is explored or if he returns as a villain in another saga.