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Movie Review: ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3’
(L to R) Karen Gillan as Nebula, Chris Pratt as Peter Quill / Star-Lord, and Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.

Opening in theaters on May 5th is ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3,’ which is the third feature film in the series and the 32nd Marvel Cinematic Universe movie overall, once again written and directed by the new co-chairman and co-CEO of DC Studios James Gunn (‘The Suicide Squad’).

What is the plot of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3?’

‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3’ follows the events of ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ and ‘Avengers: Endgame,’ as well as their appearances in ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ and ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.’ Now, the Guardians of the Galaxy are adjusting to life on Knowhere when Rocket’s (voice of Bradley Cooper) past comes back to haunt him.

After an attack from Adam Warlock (Will Poulter) injures Rocket, the Guardians learn of his origins and confront his creator, the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji). Meanwhile, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) is still coming to terms with the “new” Gamora (Zoe Saldaña), who is now a Ravager. In order to save their friend, the Guardians must go on a dangerous mission that could lead to the team dissolving if they fail.
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Who is in the cast of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3?’

‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3’ once again stars Chris Pratt (‘Jurassic World Dominion‘) as Peter Quill / Star-Lord, Zoe Saldaña (‘Avatar: The Way of Water‘) as Gamora, Dave Bautista (‘Knock at the Cabin‘) as Drax the Destroyer, Karen Gillan (‘Jumanji: The Next Level‘) as Nebula, Pom Klementieff (‘Uncut Gems‘) as Mantis, Vin Diesel (‘Fast X‘) as Groot, Bradley Cooper (‘A Star is Born‘) as Rocket, Sean Gunn (‘The Suicide Squad’) as Kraglin Obfonteri, Elizabeth Debicki (‘Tenet‘) as Ayesha, as well as new cast members Chukwudi Iwuji (‘Peacemaker‘) as the High Evolutionary, Will Poulter (‘We’re the Millers‘) as Adam Warlock, Maria Bakalova (‘Borat Subsequent Moviefilm‘) as Cosmo the Spacedog, and Sylvester Stallone (‘Rocky‘) as Stakar Ogord.

Initial Thoughts

While it’s not a perfect movie, James Gunn finishes his trilogy off with a heartfelt love letter to the franchise, in a character-driven movie that ties up loose ends and brings many arcs to a close. The actors are given room to explore their characters, and the villain is strong, but make no mistakes … this is Rocket’s movie!

Writer and director James Gunn at Los Angeles premiere of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’

Story, Direction and Visual Effects

Full disclosure: I love the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ movies, in fact, they’re both in my top ten of MCU movies. But ‘Guardians 3’ is different than the previous films, its somber, character-driven, and darker, while still having James Gunn’s signature weirdness, humor, and music. The story ties up all the loose ends of the trilogy, including Quill and Gamora’s relationship, but really takes time to explore all the core characters, especially Rocket.

Obviously a lot of time is spent on Quill, Gamora, and Rocket, but Drax, Mantis, Nebula, Groot, and even Kraglin are all given their time to shine. The movie starts off slow and somber, and drags a bit in the middle, but has a very touching and action-packed third act. James Gunn clearly has an affection for this trilogy and these actors, and it shows in the film which is really a love letter to them.

For the most part, the visual effects work, and the colorful costumes and creatures are interesting and fun. But I do question the odd flesh-colored uniforms that the guards (including Nathan Fillion) wear at the High Evolutionary’s headquarters. They were just a little too weird and goofy for me, and distracted from the story.

Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper) in Marvel Studios’ ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2023 Marvel.

Rocket’s Storyline

Make no mistakes … this is Rocket’s movie! The film actually takes place in two timelines, flashing back throughout the movie to tell Rocket’s origin story. Over the course of the previous ‘Guardian’ movies and his appearances in ‘Infinity War’ and ‘Endgame,’ Rocket’s become my favorite Marvel character and his story arc here is extremely touching. He’s the heart of the movie, and exploring his past while saying something about animal cruelty was both smart and affective. Some of the creatures we meet in his past are very creepy, but again, the message is not lost. While it’s only a voice role, Bradley Cooper’s “Gilbert Gottfried meets Bill the Butcher” performance has brought the character to life and his work here is touching, emotional, funny and makes Rocket a stronger character.

Marvel Studio’s ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.

Related Article: James Gunn Has Discussed DC/Marvel Crossover

Cast Performances

Chris Pratt is given a lot more emotional work to do with Quill this time around, and handles it well, especially his scenes with Gamora. Zoe Saldaña returns as the ‘Avengers: Endgame’ version of Gamora, allowing the actress to play a new character, in a sense. When the original Gamora died in ‘Infinity War,’ I was really sad to see her go because she had grown so much since the original film and I loved her relationship with Quill, but the new Gamora had really grown on me by the end of this film, thanks to Saldaña’s layered performance.

In a movie with so many characters, it’s easy for some to get lost in the shuffle and not get the screen time they deserve, but the movie balances the characters well and gives them all a moment to shine. Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, and even Sean Gunn, are all given time to explore their characters and grow through the course of the movie. As for Groot, he’s not a kid anymore and like Rocket, also has a great arc over the course of the trilogy, and surprisingly, Vin Diesel gets to do a little more in this movie than just say: “I Am Groot.”

Chukwudi Iwuji plays the High Evolutionary and is actually a pretty good Marvel villain. I found the performance menacing and effective, even though his ultimate evil plan is confusing at times. But his motivations and hubris made the character believable, and Iwuji gives a fun, if not over-the-top at times, performance.

Chukwudi Iwuji as the High Evolutionary in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.

Is Adam Warlock a Good Guy?

Yes and no. He’s an unwilling villain in the beginning, but has a change of heart over the course of the film, which I must say is paced well and is ultimately effective. But to be honest, I didn’t like the way the character was depicted, and didn’t care for Will Poulter’s performance, although it’s through no fault of his own. In the film, the character is the son of ‘Guardians Vol. 2’ baddie Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki), and is depicted as a brainless, bratty mama’s boy, and while the characterization gets a few laughs, it didn’t work for me knowing the character’s importance in the comics. Poulter physically transformed to play the role, and looks great, but for me, the character and performance just didn’t work.

(L to R) Will Poulter as Adam Warlock and Elizabeth Debicki as Ayesha in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.

Are There End-Credit Scenes in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3?’

Yes. There are two in fact. The first sets up a possible future for the franchise, beyond the current lineup, and the second would set up a spinoff of sorts for one of the main characters. Both scenes are ‘Guardians’ centric and do not hint to any other upcoming MCU projects.

Will There Be a ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 4?’

That’s hard to say at this time. James Gunn certainly is saying goodbye to the franchise, as he’ll be busy in the near future working on ‘Superman: Legacy’ and running DC Studios. As previously mentioned, the first end-credit scene does hint at a possible future installment, and the team teased for that is incredibly intriguing. As is the possibility of the spinoff teased in the other end-credit scene, with a character that is strong enough to carry their own film franchise, or at least a Disney+ series. Whether or not we will see any of the other Guardians in future Marvel projects, is anyone’s guess.

Vin Diesel as Groot in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.

Final Thoughts

In the end, ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3’ is not a perfect film, and in some ways is not quite as fun as the previous two movies, but is a very loving sendoff to the current team and a dark and emotional look at these beloved characters.

‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3’ receives 8.5 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Studio’s ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.

Other Movies Similar to ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3:’
- ‘Guardians of the Galaxy‘ (2014)
- ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2‘ (2017)
- ‘Avengers: Infinity War‘ (2018)
- ‘Avengers: Endgame‘ (2019)
- ‘The Suicide Squad‘ (2021)
- ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special‘ (2022)
- ‘Thor: Love and Thunder‘ (2022)
Buy Tickets: ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3’ Movie Showtimes

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Witten and directed by James Gunn, the Sci-Fi action adventure comedy ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ is scheduled for release from Marvel Studios on May 5th 2023.
April 28, 2023
New Image Of Adam Warlock in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’

Marvel Comics’ Adam Warlock. Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.

If you’ve watched the moody trailer for ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’, you’ll know that the third ‘Guardians’ outing, once again written and directed by James Gunn, promises to be an emotional capper to at least this incarnation of the team.

Though Gunn insists that it’s not some huge cull that will leave everyone permanently off the board (particularly as, thanks to their participation in the ‘Avengers’ movies, they’re important to the fabric of the MCU), it seems like we’ll be saying goodbye to more than one member (and comments by Dave Bautista about leaving Drax behind makes us suspect he could either die heroically or sail off somewhere else in the universe).

And one of the biggest issues that the Guardians––Bautista’s Drax, Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill, Zoe Saldana’s Gamora, Karen Gillan’s Nebula and Pom Klementieff’s Mantis, plus CG characters Rocket Racoon (brought to life by Sean Gunn in performance capture and voiced by Bradley Cooper) and Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel)––will face is Adam Warlock, played by British actor Will Poulter.

Created by gold-hued Sovereign leader Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki) after the Guardians double-crossed her in ‘Vol. 2’, Warlock promises that this prime example of the Sovereign race will destroy our morally changeable heroes. He’s a powerful warrior… But is he entirely a bad guy?

“It’s kind of more complicated than that,” Gunn tells Empire. “But he’s definitely not a good guy. What we’re seeing is the infant form of Warlock, newly out of the cocoon, and he does not understand life very well. He’s basically a baby.”

Will Poulter as Adam Warlock in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’ Photo courtesy of Empire Magazine.

After a long search for the right actor to bring him to life, Gunn settled on Poulter, known for films such as the ‘Maze Runner’ movies and, more recently, horror title ‘Midsommar’.

“People online were saying, ‘Oh, Tom Cruise should be Adam Warlock,’” says Gunn. “I wanted somebody who was youthful, and I wanted the person who had the dramatic chops and the comedic chops, not only for this movie but for what Marvel will use Adam Warlock for in the future. He could become this really important character.”

Yes, in true Marvel style, Warlock looks to be hanging around the MCU for a while yet, and he’ll certainly be handy for the future of the Multiverse Saga, which is the overarching title for Phases four, five and six.

For now, though, we’ll have to wait and see how Warlock pans out in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’, which will also feature Chukwudi Iwuji as The High Evolutionary, who promises to be even more of a problem for our heroes.

With Maria Bakalova, Nico Santos, Michael Rosenbaum, Daniela Melchior and the returning likes of Sylvester Stallone and Sean Gunn (in his other, live-action role as Kraglin), ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be in theaters on May 5th.

Marvel Studio’s ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.
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January 17, 2023
Movie Review: ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’

(L to R): Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Star-Lord and Dave Bautista as Drax in Marvel Studios’ ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special,’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Jessica Miglio. © 2022 Marvel.

Premiering on Disney+ beginning November 25th and marking the conclusion of the MCU’s Phase Four is Marvel Studios’ second “Special Presentation” following ‘Werewolf by Night’ entitled ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.’

Written and directed by James Gunn, the special bridges the gap between when we last saw the Guardians in ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ and what they will be up to when we next see them in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’

The special follows Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) as they set out to give Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) the best Christmas ever, after discovering that Yondu (Michael Rooker) ruined the holiday for him as a child. So, the two Guardians travel to Earth to kidnap Peter’s childhood hero, the ‘Footloose’ actor Kevin Bacon (playing himself), as the ultimate gift for Peter.

Kevin Bacon as himself in Marvel Studios’ ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special,’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 Marvel.

The result is a fun and heartwarming holiday special, and while the plot is somewhat predictable, it features great alternative Christmas music, a funny Kevin Bacon performance, and tees up ‘Guardians Vol. 3’ perfectly.

Pound for pound, ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ is probably my favorite MCU movie, and the story was expanded well in ‘Guardians Vol. 2.’ But those two movies take place back to back, and with ‘Infinity War’ and ‘Endgame’ taking place before ‘Guardians Vol. 3,’ and the untimely firing and rehiring of Gunn by Disney, I’ve been concerned that the third ‘Guardians’ movie would not be what the filmmaker originally conceived for the trilogy. Remember, had Gunn not been fired, ‘Guardians Vol. 3,’ would have been released towards the beginning of Phase Four rather than the end.

Also, with the original Gamora (Zoe Saldana) dead, and a younger version of her running around the universe, this is not the Guardians team we began with and the ‘Holiday Special’ does a great job of setting up where our characters will be when ‘Vol. 3’ begins.

(L to R): Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Star-Lord, Dave Bautista as Drax, and Director/Writer James Gunn behind the scenes of Marvel Studios’ ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special.’ Photo by Jessica Miglio. © 2022 Marvel.

The Guardians now comprise of Star-Lord, Drax, Mantis, Nebula (Karen Gillan), Kraglin (Sean Gunn), Rocket (Voice of Bradley Cooper), new member Cosmo the Spacedog (Voiced for the first time by Maria Bakalova) and Groot (Voiced by Vin Diesel), who is now in his late teens but almost fully grown. We soon discover that they have inherited Nowhere from the Collector (Benicio del Toro) and are helping the locals rebuild their community. Other Marvel secrets revealed include the identity of Mantis’ father, and that Gamora is still missing at the time of the special.

Since this is a Disney+ special, and not a theatrical movie, obviously it did not have the same budget as other ‘Guardians’ films, but for the most part it never compromises the project. However, there were two scenes that could have used more effects work.

The movie begins with a flashback to Peter’s first Christmas with Yondu, and crude animation is used instead of live-action. One can assume this is because Michael Rooker is not in ‘Guardians Vol. 3,’ and was not available on set when they shot the special. The animation is rough, which matches Peter’s foggy memory, but distracted from the rest of the production. If animation was the only way to go with this sequence, using similar animation to the Disney+ series ‘What If…?’ would have fit the project better.

(L to R): Pom Klementieff as Mantis and Dave Bautista as Drax in Marvel Studios’ ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special,’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Jessica Miglio. © 2022 MARVEL.

While Rocket and Groot are used sparingly, probably for budget reasons, Rocket looks good and is on par with his big screen appearances. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Groot, who at times looks more like the theme park character at Disneyland. In the special, Groot looks like someone in a rubber suit, rather than the CGI character we are used to.

But it’s the music, holiday themes, our beloved characters, and Gunn’s unique storytelling style that puts the “Special” in ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.’ Gunn clearly understands the spirit of Christmas and knows what works in a project like this, with obvious influences from holiday specials of the past like 1964’s ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,’ 1966’s ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas!,’ and of course, 1978’s ‘Star Wars Holiday Special.’

The filmmaker also fills the special with non-traditional Christmas music like “Christmastime” by The Smashing Pumpkins or The Pogues’ classic song, “Fairytale of New York.” The underrated rock band the Old 97’s actually makes an appearance as an alien rock group on Nowhere learning about Christmas, and has a great performance at the end of the special with Kevin Bacon, who don’t forget is a musician himself.

The Old 97’s in Marvel Studios’ ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special,’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Jessica Miglio. © 2022 Marvel.

Bacon is great playing a confused version of himself when Drax and Mantis abduct him, and he eventually befriends the whole group, becoming an honorary Guardian, which is fitting. The actor, who appeared in Gunn’s ‘Super,’ is a good sport spoofing his own persona and clearly understands what Gunn was aiming for. It’s also worth noting that Bacon’s real-life wife, actress Kyra Sedgwick makes a vocal cameo in the project.

As far as the core actors, Dave Bautista and Pom Klementieff have the largest roles, and have become a fantastic comedic team over the last few films. Drax and Mantis’ platonic friendship is one of the most engaging relationships in the franchise, and I’m intrigued to see where it goes in the next installment.

But the other Guardians have smaller roles. Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord does not have a lot to do but react to Mantis and Drax’s spontaneous Christmas, which he is emotionally touched by until he realizes that they kidnapped Kevin Bacon! Pratt’s basically just there to react, but has a touching scene with Mantis at the end, which I imagine will have large repercussions moving forward.

Sean Gunn as Kraglin in Marvel Studios’ ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special,’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Jessica Miglio. © 2022 Marvel.

While Sean Gunn’s Kraglin is involved in the retelling of Peter’s first Christmas with Yondu, he’s basically in the background with Karen Gillan’s Nebula, who could have had a larger role. I also would have liked to see more interaction between Rocket and Groot, two fan-favorites, but we’ll have to wait for the next movie as Rocket mostly shares his scenes with Cosmo the Spacedog, who was originally introduced in the first film. But it was nice to get a tease of ‘Borat Subsequent Moviefilm’s Maria Bakalova as the voice of Cosmo.

In the end, ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ may not be the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.5’ fans were hoping for, but it is a very funny and entertaining Christmas special that should offer enough character interaction, humor, and music to hold fans over until ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ hits theaters on May 5th, 2023.

‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ receives 4 out of 5 stars.

(L to R): Karen Gillan as Nebula and Pom Klementieff as Mantis in Marvel Studios’ ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special,’ exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Jessica Miglio. © 2022 Marvel.
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November 23, 2022
New Trailer for Thor: ‘Love and Thunder’

(L to R) Christian Bale, Chris Hemsworth, Taika Waititi, and Tessa Thompson in Marvel Studios’ ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’

The first teaser for ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ was just that… a tease. We got glimpses of Chris Hemsworth’s Asgardian Avenger trying to find himself after all his battles and adventures.

Of course, the new Marvel movie wouldn’t exactly thrill fans if it was two hours of Hemsworth sitting around on a yoga mat (though we’re sure people would still go and watch it). Which means that of course he’ll be thrown back into a big story full of gods, monsters and lots the humor that director Taika Waititi brought to his previous outing, ‘Thor: Ragnarok’.

The big threat this time is from Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), who, as his name suggests, has a real problem with gods. He’s sick of how the powerful omnipotent beings care little for those whose lives their ruin, and he, well, again with the name thing, aims to kill them.

Thor is naturally on his list, though the likes of Zeus (Russell Crowe) should also be worried. And Crowe’s character features in one of the big laugh moments of the trailer, as he accidentally strips our hero, much to the fainting consternation of the women around him. All, of course, except for Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) and Jane Foster (Natalie Portman).
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Oh yes… Jane Foster. She’s back in Thor’s life in a big way and has her own god-like powers. While there’s an explanation for that in the comics, the trailer naturally is going to let the movie explain all of that. All we do know is that Jane can wield Mjolnir and dispatch baddies with her own lightning abilities. Plus, she’s certainly got some strength there. While there’s no sign (yet) of Kat Dennings’ Darcy, the double act between Jane and Valkyrie shows promise.

Also around (though probably not spending much time in the movie), the Guardians of the Galaxy, including Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord, Pom Klementieff’s Mantis, Dave Bautista’s Drax, Karen Gillan’s Nebula, the Vin Diesel-voiced Groot, and Rocket Raccoon, brought to life as usual by Sean Gunn on set with the vocal tones of Bradley Cooper. Oh, and we can also expect to glimpse Kraglin (also played by Gunn, without needing his Rocket performance capture equipment).

Waititi’s back in performance capture gear himself to play Thor’s rocky pal Korg, who becomes something of a storyteller here. Could we be seeing a framing device for the movie? It’s also a funny moment for the character. Who, as you might figure is an unreliable narrator.

And it’s not just gags – there’s plenty of action and the usual deep dive into Thor’s character. Written by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson alongside Waititi and featuring the likes of Jaimie Alexander (back as Lady Sif), Sam Neill, Melissa McCarthy, and Matt Damon (McCarthy joins a returning Neill and Damon as actors playing Asgardian heroes), ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ rumbles into theaters on July 8th.

Christian Bale as Gorr in Marvel Studios’ ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

(L to R) Christian Bale, Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Taika Waititi and Natalie Portman in Marvel Studios’ ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’
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May 23, 2022
Learn Who’s Who in ‘The Suicide Squad’

David Dastmalchian, John Cena, Idris Elba, and Daniela Melchior in ‘The Suicide Squad’

James Gunn (of Guardians of the Galaxy fame) brings his high-stakes DC epic, ‘The Suicide Squad,’ to the big screen. Although we’ll see a handful of characters return from the 2016 ‘Suicide Squad,’ there are quite a few new faces. Don’t worry if you don’t know every new character that Gunn is bringing in, where here to introduce them all to you.

Harley Quinn

Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Harleen Quinzel
Played By: Margot Robbie
First Appearance: Batman the Animated Series
One of the returning characters from the original film, Harley Quinn (psychologist Doctor Harleen Quinzel) was once the Joker’s girl, helping him to break out of prison and become his clown partner of crime. But Harley grew to realize the Joker’s love wasn’t love, but abuse, and ran away to become her own anti-hero, more recently getting her own film as well. Harley uses a multitude of weapons but is well-known for her mallet and use of multiple firearms. Her outfit in the film seems to be taking inspiration from the Batman Arkham games, a nice callback.

Bloodsport

Idris Elba as Bloodsport in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Robert DuBois
Played By: Idris Elba
First Appearance: Superman Vol. 2 #4
This is not Bloodsport’s first live-action appearance, that honor goes to ‘Supergirl’ on The CW. In the comics, DuBois was an ex-soldier who, after seeing his brother come home mortally wounded, took up contract killing to fight against those he claimed ‘had freedom’ when they didn’t. TIt doesn’t look like the film is using all of that backstory, but if the trailer is anything to go by, it is using the story where he had gone toe-to-toe with Superman (and has even gotten the upper hand!) The big question is, since he’s worked for Lex Luthor in the past, will that be mentioned?

Rick Flag

Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Anthony Miller.
Played By: Joel Kinnaman
First Appearance: The Brave and the Bold #25
Another returning character (and actor!) from the original film, Rick Flag is as “government agent” as a character can get. Brought in by Amanda Waller to lead tThe Suicide Squad, he’s the team’s field commander and accompanies them on every mission, to make sure they stay in line. In the comics, he comes from a long line of military men, and maybe with the film diving deeper into comic book territory, we may see this come up? While he has no superpowers, his military history and firearms expertise makes him a very well-trained member of the team.

Peacemaker

John Cena as Peacemaker in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Christopher Smith
Played By: John Cena
First Appearance: Fightin’ 5 #40
One of the oldest characters on this list, Peacemaker originated in the 60s. A diplomat willing to get peace no matter what, Smith is willing to take down as many lives as possible to do so. Though it’s doubtful the film will use the ‘is haunted by the spirit of his father’ plotline, it seems to be taking the ‘peace at all cost’ very close to heart. Peacemaker is also the only character getting his own HBO Max show down the line.

Amanda Waller

Viola Davis as Amanda Waller in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Amanda Blake
Played By: Viola Davis
First Appearance: Legends #1
Another returning character from ‘Suicide Squad,’ Amanda Waller is most likely the most well-traveled as well. Appearing in TV shows, games and other films, she is the head of the Suicide Squad, and chooses whether they live or die at the touch of a button. In the comics storylines, she’s been given the nickname of “The Wall” in reference to how steadfast she is. She revived the Suicide Squad from files found she came across while working, and if she has a “super power,” it’s that she holds the lives of the squad in her hands.

King Shark

Sylvester Stallone voices King Shark in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Nanaue
Played By: Sylvester Stallone
First Appearance: Superboy #0
One of two animal members of this Suicide Squad, but this isn’t his first on-screen appearance (he’s shown up in ‘The Flash’ and the animated Harley Quinn series). King Shark is the son of the king of sharks and a human mother. (Ahh, comics…) And he’s exactly what he sounds like; a shark. He has a history of eating people, capturing swimmers, etc. We wouldn’t be surprised if Superboy, his nemesis, is mentioned in the film, as Shark plays a big role in Superboy’s story.

Polka-Dot Man

David Dastmalchian as Polka-Dot Man in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Abner Krill
Played By: David Dastmalchian
First Appearance: Detective Comics #300
One of the more outlandish members of the Squad (and that’s saying something with a team member like Weasel), Krill was a crook who, after witnessing Batman doing his crime-fighting thing, decided to just go around Gotham doing crime with polka-dots. (I swear that was it, no other reason was necessary.) His polka-dots get used for multiple purposes, and there have been hints that there is a biological component to powers of this version of the character.. Krill has never been a member of the Squad (save for an ‘Injustice 2’ prequel comic) so it’ll be interesting to see what he did that was so terrible that brings him with everyone else.

Sol Soria

Alice Braga as Sol Soria in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Sol Soria
Played By: Alice Braga
First Appearance: The Suicide Squad
Little is known about Braga’s character, because she hasn’t seemed to appear in any comics, and her debut is this movie. What we do know is she hails from the (fictional) country of Corto Maltese, and is the head of the country’s resistance group. The country has appeared in the comics as a place where metahumans are tested on and created. It’s possible she could be related to Juan Soria, a comic character who shares the same last name as Sol, a member of the Squad with cybernetic enhancements.

Savant

Michael Rooker as Savant in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Brian Durlin
Played By: Michael Rooker
First Appearance: Birds of Prey #56
A villain turned bad, all because Batman told him he shouldn’t do vigilante work, Savant is as smart as they come… but he might forget that due to his forgetfulness. Being a character that’s teetered on the line of villain and vigilante, it is unknown if the film will delve into his background with the Birds of Prey, and his partner/boyfriend Creote. It appears Rooker might be playing an older version of Savant, so maybe we see Creote in a flashback, perhaps? For us, the audience, but not Savant, who wouldn’t remember them in the first place!

T.D.K.

Nathan Fillion as T.D.K. in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Cory Pitzner
Played By: Nathan Fillion
First Appearance: The Suicide Squad
Little is known about T.D.K as he is a creation specifically from the mind of James Gunn himself, so if that tells you anything… All we do know is that he’s a metahuman who can detach his arms and legs, while having the ability to control them telepathically, and we’ve recently learned the initials T.D.K. stand for The Detachable Kid. Gunn has gone on record saying T.D.K “is from a Saturday morning cartoon,” which doesn’t speak highly of his abilities in the type of movie Gunn makes. Fillion himself has said his character is more annoying than a threat as well, so we can just take them for their word!

Captain Boomerang

Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: George “Digger” Harkness
Played By: Jai Courtney
First Appearance: The Flash #117
The final returning character (and actor0 from the original film, Boomer started off as a Flash villain, and has appeared in both movies and the Flash TV series. Born in Australia, he grew up being very good at carving boomerangs and using them as weapons. He’s the other character in the movie (next to Harley) that’s been featured outside of the film universe on both TV and in video games, and the character will star alongside Harley in an upcoming Suicide Squad game.

Blackguard

Pete Davidson as Blackguard in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Richard Hertz
Played By: Pete Davidson
First Appearance: Booster Gold #1
Little is known about Blackguard’s comic book origins, other than he was hired by a group called ‘The 1,000’ and outfitted by them as well. His known powers are, interestingly, ergokinesis (the ability to manipulate energy) and use of multiple gadgets. We don’t know if the film will go into his metahuman abilities, but he is one of the characters to have a major costume change. We also don’t know if they will dive into his Booster Gold connection (which would mean Booster’s introduction into the DCEU). But Gunn could very well add that kind of surprise.

Weasel

Sean Gunn plays Weasel in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: John Monroe
Played By: Sean Gunn
First Appearance: The Fury of Firestorm #35
There’s a fun story about Weasel. In the movie, he looks like as an actual… weasel-like creature. But in the comic, he’s an actual man! Monroe was a student in the 1960s who was nicknamed ‘weasel’ by his peers as they bullied him. By day, he’s a college professor. By night, he’s a murderer, dressing in a costume (most likely where Gunn’s portrayal comes from) and calling himsef ‘Weasel’. We still don’t know how Gunn will justify making him an actual animal, but the DC’s “metahuman” concept will probably play a part.

The Thinker

Peter Capaldi as The Thinker in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Clifford DeVoe (we think)
Played By: Peter Capaldi
First Appearance: All-Flash #12
Again, like Weasel, we got a fun one. While most characters have been given their comic-connected names and villainious monikers, we do not know which version of Thinker that Capaldi is playing. So for clarity’s sake, I’ll be going into the DeVoe version, as he has also appeared in The Flash TV show. A failed lawyer, DeVoe used his smarts to be the brains behind many small-time thugs. He was able to use his smarts as a weapon, literally, with the help of his ‘thinker cap.’ which clearly plays a role in the film. Now we just have to see if Gunn will use Thinker as a master manipulator, too…

Javelin

Flula Borg as Javelin in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Gunter Braun
Played By: Flula Borg
First Appearance: Green Lantern #173
Javelin doesn’t seem to have a first name in the comics, so we’re using the name Gunn gives him in the film. While he’s not a metahuman, Braun is a talented Olympian! A former member of the German Olympic team, he turned to a life of crime, but it’s not clear why. The only ‘superpower’ he has? He’s incredibly good with javelin-based weapons. As seen in the film’s featurettes, Braun sees himself as the best-looking in the room and might be one of the most stuck-up members of the squad. Let’s hope that saves him!

Mongal

Mayling Ng as Mongal in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Mongal
Played By: Mayling Ng
First Appearance: Showcase ‘95
The only otherworldly member of the squad seen so far, Mongal is the daughter of DC villain Mongul, born and raised on the planet Debstam IV. She’s taken on Superman, and was later killed by her own brother. She has superhuman strength and resiliance, and a long history of fighting to the death. But will that be enough to keep her alive?

Ratcatcher (2)

Daniela Melchior as Ratcatcher in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Cleo Cazo
Played By: Daniela Melchior
First Appearance: The Suicide Squad
Last but not least, we have Ratcatcher. A new character to the DC canon, Cazo is the daughter of the original Ratcatcher, and like her father, controls rats using a device that puts them under her influence. Gunn has said that Cazo is the “heart of the film” and even describes her as being “completely out of her element” but goes ahead and tries to make friends with everyone around her. It should be interesting to see how she plays off everyone else, and how everyone else plays off her and her rats.

‘The Suicide Squad‘ will be in theaters on August 6.
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August 2, 2021
‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Stars React to James Gunn Firing: One Quits Twitter, One Quotes Bible

Marvel Studios

It’s safe to say Drax and Yondu are taking this loss the hardest.

“Guardians of the Galaxy” director James Gunn was fired on Friday after several old jokes on pedophilia and rape resurfaced on Twitter. Since then, “Thor: Ragnarok” director Taika Waititi has been mentioned as a favorite to replace Gunn, but only by people who have accepted the decision.

So far, more than 180,000 people have signed a petition to Disney to rehire James Gunn. His most vocal supporters out there — besides his brother, “Guardians” actor Sean Gunn — appear to be GotG actors Dave Bautista (Drax) and Michael Rooker (Yondu).

Bautista was the first to tweet that he was “NOT ok” with Gunn’s firing. He shared more reaction over the weekend, and Michael Rooker announced that he was quitting Twitter and would stick to Instagram. They were joined by several other voices from the GotG family:

https://twitter.com/DaveBautista/status/1020502763430559744

https://twitter.com/DaveBautista/status/1021123102082707456

https://twitter.com/DaveBautista/status/1021125112974618624

Michael Rooker deleted his tweets, because he deleted his entire account, but he had posted about leaving Twitter because Twitter sucks and he was sick of this “BULLSH*T.” He told fans to just follow him on Instagram.

https://twitter.com/NickDiBern/status/1021410958495944705

“Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters. Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger.”

JAMES 1:19
🙏♥️

— Chris Pratt (@prattprattpratt) July 22, 2018

It’s been a challenging weekend I’m not gonna lie. I’m pausing myself to take everything in before I speak out of term. I just want everyone to know I love ALL members of my GOTG family. Always will.

— Zoe Saldana (@zoesaldana) July 22, 2018

Love to every single member of my GOTG family.

— Karen Gillan (@karengillan) July 23, 2018

https://twitter.com/seangunn/status/1020786565344382978

❤️ pic.twitter.com/49RokUOI5d

— Pom Klementieff (@PomKlementieff) July 23, 2018

James Gunn had issued a statement after he was fired, accepting the decision:

“My words of nearly a decade ago were, at the time, totally failed and unfortunate efforts to be provocative. I have regretted them for many years since — not just because they were stupid, not at all funny, wildly insensitive, and certainly not provocative like I had hoped, but also because they don’t reflect the person I am today or have been for some time.

Regardless of how much time has passed, I understand and accept the business decisions taken today. Even these many years later, I take full responsibility for the way I conducted myself then. All I can do now, beyond offering my sincere and heartfelt regret, is to be the best human being I can be: accepting, understanding, committed to equality, and far more thoughtful about my public statements and my obligations to our public discourse. To everyone inside my industry and beyond, I again offer my deepest apologies. Love to all.”

James Gunn had been working on a script for “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” which Marvel Studios scheduled to film early next year for its scheduled 2020 release. Now everything is a question mark.

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July 23, 2018