Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Star Zoe Saldana Calls Marvel Movie Bittersweet

Zoe Saldana says filming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is “bittersweet.” The Marvel Studios movie is now in production. Writer/director James Gunn confirmed it’d be this Guardians of the Galaxy team’s final adventure. They also appeared in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Several members played critical roles in the battle with Thanos alongside the Avengers. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 focuses more on the band of cosmic misfits that counts Thanos’ adopted daughter Gamora among its number. Saldana spoke to Empire magazine about how it feels to reunite for the last time.

“It’s bittersweet; after all those years of complaining about that green make-up, I find myself already nostalgic about it,” Saldana says. “There’s a lot of melancholy here, but also pride that we’ve achieved something great. James Gunn has written a beautiful story, that’s making us emotional even as we shoot it. Omicron plays a doozy on us every other day, but we’re getting by and we’re happy.”

Technically, Saldana is playing a different Gamora than the one she played in the first two Guardians of the Galaxy movies. Thanos killed the original Gamora in Avengers: Infinity War. Now Saldana is playing a Gamora displaced in time. She comes from long before Gamora met Star-Lord and the rest of the Guardians. Saldana also touched on this dynamic in the interview.

“She began as this warrior wanting to get out of a very toxic parental relationship, then she finds the Guardians, who are dysfunctional-ish as well, but they’re okay. She learns a lot and finds this bigger purpose. Then her dad comes and fucks everything up. She dies, she’s brought back, but it’s not her,” she says. “I think Gamora’s a little confused, I have to say! But James has weaved this wonderful story around the character and every character in this third film.”

Gunn is directing Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 from his script. Saldana is part of a cast that includes returning stars Chris Pratt as Star-Lord, Dave Bautista as Gamora, Vin Diesel as Groot’s voice, Bradley Cooper as Rocket’s voice, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Pom Klementieff as Mantis, Sean Gunn as Kraglin, Sylvester Stallone as Starhawk. The film introduces Will Poulter as Adam Warlock.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is now filming in Atlanta. The film opens in theaters on May 5, 2023.