Disney and Marvel’s MCU is over a decade old, and many actors who started out in the franchise early on are moving on to seek other opportunities. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was the end of the Guardians as we know them, as the characters went their separate ways with the film’s conclusion. It also marked the time for some actors to move on, but after recent comments, we wonder if Zoe Saldaña has left the door open for a return.
Alongside Dave Bautista, Saldaña shared that she planned to move away from blockbusters and that her time with the franchise was over. The actress appeared in several major films and has the unique-to-her accolade of appearing in the top three highest-grossing movies of all time with her role as Gamora in Avengers: Endgame and Neytiri in James Cameron’s Avatar franchise. She was, however, ready to move on to newer things though a recent comment may suggest otherwise.
While talking to The Hollywood Reporter about her most recent project, Special Ops: Lioness, the actress discussed her exit from the MCU and how she felt her character was handled in the final film, particularly the parting of ways between Gamora and Quill. Of this ending, she says it was a “bittersweet decision,” explaining:
“I wanted to know that in the final chapter, Gamora stays on and finds a way to become a Guardian again. But this felt like the right way to end things for her, because of what she had been through. At the end of the day, any multiverse that she would’ve come from, she was still going to have the same experience with Thanos [Josh Brolin], and she was still gonna have the same guilt and the same trauma. So she finally found solace with the Ravagers, and she felt more open than she had ever been.”
She does believe that this new version of her, despite not having had that history with Quill, still feels as if something is there:
“I think the whole thing with Peter bothered her, because even though she had no recollection of who he was, she had a sense that it must have been special. And I appreciated that takeaway because it kind of gave us the hope that if the Guardians seek help again from the Ravagers, maybe Gamora and Peter will find a way back into each other’s lives, even if it’s just as friends.”
This comment regarding her character’s future has many wondering whether this means she is open to returning to the MCU, especially since she recently wanted to retire. Look, it wouldn’t be the first time an actor said they were done before returning once more (we’re looking at you, Patrick Stewart and Hugh Jackman), but the other wrench in this is that Saldaña has mentioned that she wouldn’t mind the character being recast.
This comment could mean that this is what Saldaña hopes to see for the character, even if she is no longer playing her. Regardless if the actress herself is no longer a part of the MCU, Gamora may live on, though it’s hard to imagine who else could take on the role she really made her own.
