James Gunn Not Interested In Using "New Guardians" In Future 'Guardians of the Galaxy' Movies

To those fans hoping to see Kitty Pryde or Ben Grimm suiting up alongside Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) or Gamora (Zoe Saldana) in a future entry into the live-action Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, I hate to break it to you: chances are you will never see that happen.

In a quick question and answer session with fans earlier tonight, director James Gunn — the genius behind both Guardians films released to date plus the writer/director of an upcoming third Guardians flick —revealed his lack of interest including any "new age" Guardians in any of his future Guardians projects.

In particular, Twitter user @InternetComma tweeted Gunn asking if he'd ever include The Thing, Iron Man, Kitty Pride, or Agent Venom in a future iteration of the Guardians.

"As of today, I wouldn't find adding any of those characters interesting," Gunn responded. "I really am more of a fan of the [Dan] Abnett/[Andy] Lanning stuff as opposed to the stuff that came after the movie or first screenplay."

As of today, I wouldn’t find adding any of those characters interesting. I really am more of a fan of the Abnett/Lanning stuff as opposed to the stuff that came after the movie or first screenplay. https://t.co/6XdrYtGv1s

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) January 14, 2018

Since the move has been released, there have been two major volumes of Guardians comics released as a part of the Marvel NOW! And All-New, All-Different Marvel initiatives. In the Marvel NOW! Team-up, we saw Iron Man, Angela, Flash Thompson's Agent Venom, and Captain Marvel join the ranks of the Guardians while Kitty Pride, The Thing, and Ant-Man have since joined the team over the course of the past few years.

After seeing the list characters in a post-Abnett/Lanning Guardians world, it's hard to argue with Gunn's sentiment of ever including those characters in any future Guardians films. Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) is more than likely singing his swan song between the events of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers 4 while Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) gets her own movie come next year.

As for the likes of Kitty Pryde and Ben Grimm/The Thing, why would we see them in a Guardians film before they first debut in their respective X-Men and Fantastic Four properties? That is, if the sale is able to be finalized between Disney and Fox.

That said, with Gunn taking a fair chunk of motivation from Abnett and Lanning's run on Guardians in beginning in 2008, there's still a fair amount of new characters we'd be able to see come Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 and in any future Guardians-related properties.

While we've seen the likes of Star-Lord, Gamora, Rocket, Drax, Groot, Mantis, and Cosmo in the MCU we have yet to see some big-time hitters such as Adam Warlock, Quasar (Phyla-Vell), Vance Astro, Bug, Jack Flag, and Drax's daughter Moondragon.

Both Guardians of the Galaxy and Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 are now available on home media while Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 is slated for release sometime in 2020.