‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Star Chris Pratt Opens the Door to a Star-Lord Reunion With James Gunn After His DC Exit

The ‘Guardians of the Galaxy‘ trilogy ended with a clear sense of finality. The third film was marketed as the conclusion of this version of the team’s story. Gunn himself said there could be more Guardians movies, but not with this group.

Then the landscape shifted. On November 9, Skydance announced that Gunn and Peter Safran would step down as co-heads of DC Studios, with former Marvel executive Jeremy Latcham taking over on December 1. The change came after four years of Gunn and Safran heading up DC Studios.

That news has fans asking an obvious question: could Gunn ever return to Marvel? Chris Pratt, the face of Star-Lord, has now weighed in. Speaking with MovieZine, Pratt said he would gladly make a fourth ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ film if Gunn were interested, calling the idea awesome. He also admitted he hasn’t yet spoken to his former director since the news broke, but added, “I love working with James. He’s the man.”

Pratt’s loyalty to Gunn goes back a long way. In July 2018, the cast was thrown into despair when Gunn was fired as director of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’ Pratt was one of many cast members who signed an open letter supporting Gunn’s reinstatement, offering their love, support and gratitude for the filmmaker.

That support paid off. The cast’s solidarity helped bring Gunn back to the franchise, and he returned to finish the trilogy. It is easy to see why Pratt would describe working with him in such warm terms.

The new comments echo what Pratt said back in 2023. Speaking to GamesRadar+ around the release of the third film, he said he was open to a future with Star-Lord on the big screen, but only if it did justice to the world Gunn created. At the time, he noted that continuing Peter Quill’s story without Gunn would feel strange.

There is also a loose end that Marvel set up itself. The third film closed with a message that “The Legendary Star-Lord will return,” which confirmed that Marvel has plans for the character. Pratt has also pitched ideas to the studio. Asked what he knew about Star-Lord’s future, he gave a coy answer, saying everything is “liquid” and Marvel takes things a step at a time.

It’s worth being precise about what Gunn’s departure involves. He is not leaving DC entirely. Gunn is still attached to ‘Man of Tomorrow,’ which he wrote and directed, and both he and Safran will return full time to creative work. That film is scheduled for release on July 9, 2027.

In a statement, Gunn said he and Safran are not immediately done with DC. He mentioned another DC project he is writing, and said they would see where it goes after that. That open-ended wording leaves his future wide open, but it also means a Marvel return is far from official.

Skydance’s shake-up followed its takeover of Warner Bros. The deal was a nearly $111 billion absorption of Warner Bros. Pictures. The man replacing Gunn, Latcham, is a Marvel Studios veteran, which adds a small irony to the situation.

Get ready for one last ride. Watch the brand-new trailer for Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, written and directed by @JamesGunn. Only in theaters May 5. #GotGVol3 https://t.co/om9djRFKQ1

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) February 12, 2023

For now, a ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 4’ remains purely hypothetical. Marvel has not announced anything, and Gunn has not publicly signaled an interest in returning. His DC commitments also continue through ‘Man of Tomorrow’ and his current writing project.

Still, Pratt’s comments show that the door is not closed, at least from the actor’s side. Fans have wanted to see the original team reunite since the trilogy wrapped. Whether Marvel and Gunn can find the right moment is the real question.

Pratt made his comments while promoting ‘Way of the Warrior Kid,’ which premieres on Apple TV on November 25. That means he will likely be asked about Gunn and Star-Lord again soon. Any follow-up could clarify whether the two have spoken.

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