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How ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ director vetted Will Poulter for role

Adam Warlock was first mentioned four years ago with an end scene tease in 2017's 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. II.'

James Gunn’s long casting process selecting WIll Poulter as Adam Warlock for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is coming to light.

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Four years ago, an end scene tease in 2017’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. II brought up the character for the first time. The scene did not actually show the face of the “perfect Sovereign,” who was engineered by Elizabeth Debicki’s Ayesha to destroy the titular heroes.

It appears the filmmakers were busy dotting every I and crossing every t, from that first mention until now, to ensure they selected the right actor for the role.

Gunn specifically reached out to actor Molly Quinn to ask her about her former We’re the Millers co-star, Poulter. Quinn also co-starred in Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, in a very minor role, as Howard the Duck’s date.

Quinn said Gunn reached out to her and others who have worked with Poulter to make sure he was on the up and up before casting him as Adam Warlock.

“James, he did ask me how my experience working with Will was. I think he asked a couple of other people as well, because James is great and is always checking everyone’s references,” Quinn said in an interview with TheDirect. “He wants to work with his friends, and if he’s working with new people, he wants them to become friends. I only had glowing things to say about Will.”

Quinn, a longtime friend of Gunn’s, explained that she normally doesn’t follow up when he asks her about a certain actor, but she made an exception in this case due to her excitement at Poulter possibly getting the role.

“I was so excited that he was asking about Will that a couple days later I was like, ‘Who got it?! Was it Will?!’ And he was like, ‘Yeah, it’s Will.’ I couldn’t be happier for him and I hope they have an amazing time filming.”

We’ll be sure to keep you abreast of any and all Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 updates leading up to the film’s planned release on May 5, 2023.