Marvel Has Lost One Of Its Maestros
It’s not an overstatement to say that Guardians of the Galaxy remains one of the most influential superhero movies ever made. Thanks to the darker, grittier batch of blockbusters which dominated the early-mid 2000s, comic book adaptations didn’t truly let loose until The Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy came along. The irreverence and humor of the latter undoubtedly helped convince 20th Century Fox to green light Deadpool, and prompted Marvel to expand into even wackier, funnier sectors.
As adoration for the Guardians has grown, the higher ups at Marvel have been convinced to prioritize cosmic capers from Phase 4 onward. The Eternals is expected to be at the forefront of this new wave. Thanks to his success at adapting the Guardians, it’s very safe to assume that James Gunn would have had some sort of hand in this process, too. After all, it’s clear that he was being given a growing responsibility within the company.
Furthermore, due to his advanced age and failing health, Marvel icon Stan Lee filmed a batch of cameos over one single day several years ago. It was soon revealed that James Gunn had been called upon to orchestrate these recent – and impending – scenes. Plus, he was given final say over the use of the Guardians, their dialogue, and their soundtrack choices in Avengers: Infinity War, and presumably in Avengers 4 as well.
In essence, Marvel has lost a major, guiding influence for its future space-bound adventures. Naturally, we don’t know just how involved Gunn was, or what properties are lining up for their MCU debuts. Yet, it’s safe to assume that – as it is with Vol. 3 – they may turn out very differently than they would have. But the absence of James Gunn may not only change the face of superhero films, but the industry at large, too.
