Marvel’s Chris Pratt Reveals Requirement for Star-Lord Return

Chris Pratt has outlined specific conditions for a potential return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Peter Quill/Star-Lord, emphasizing the need for “great storytelling” in an exclusive interview with ComicBook during the red carpet premiere of The Electric State. The actor, who concluded his journey with the Guardians team in 2023’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, expressed openness to reprising the role but acknowledged significant challenges in continuing the character’s story without director James Gunn. His comments come just days after former co-star Dave Bautista shared similar sentiments about potentially returning as Drax, setting a clear precedent that the original Guardians cast remains loyal to the filmmaker despite Gunn’s current commitment to DC Studios.

“Of course, I would love to do it with James, he’s got a conflict of interest that makes that impossible at the moment of course,” Pratt told us when asked about donning the Star-Lord helmet once more. The actor’s hesitation reflects the significant creative hurdle Marvel Studios faces in potentially continuing Star-Lord’s story without Gunn, who wrote and directed all three Guardians films, establishing their distinctive tone and character development. “I don’t know, I’m open to anything. It would have to be great storytelling and it would be really tough. He’s got big shoes to fill,” Pratt added, clearly setting a high bar for any potential return.

[RELATED: Marvel’s Dave Bautista Reflects on Leaving Behind Drax and Guardians of the Galaxy]

Pratt’s comments mirror those recently made by Bautista, who told ComicBook while promoting his upcoming film In the Lost Lands that he would only consider returning as Drax under very specific circumstances. “Drax is completely closed to me. Unless James Gunn called me and asked if I would do something as Drax again, I just wouldn’t be interested,” Bautista stated firmly. “If James called me, which obviously is not gonna happen. He’s doing okay, he’s gone a different route,” he continued, acknowledging Gunn’s new position as co-head of DC Studios alongside Peter Safran effectively eliminates the possibility of his return to Marvel projects in the foreseeable future.

The Challenges and Possibilities for Star-Lord’s MCU Future

The conclusion of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 left Star-Lord’s future deliberately open-ended, with the character returning to Earth to reconnect with his grandfather after the Guardians team disbanded. The film’s post-credits scene included the definitive message “The Legendary Star-Lord will return,” confirming Marvel’s intention to bring the character back in some capacity. This title directly references both Quill’s self-proclaimed moniker from the first film and his solo comic book series that ran in 2014, suggesting potential standalone adventures for the character rather than team-based appearances.

Despite this explicit promise of return, the path forward remains complicated by creative leadership changes. Gunn’s departure to lead DC Studios creates a significant vacuum for the Guardians franchise, which was uniquely shaped by his vision. The filmmaker established the team’s distinctive blend of irreverent humor, emotional depth, and cosmic adventure that would be challenging for any successor to replicate. With Gunn now fully committed to launching the new DC Universe, beginning with this summer’s Superman film, the chances of him returning to helm another Marvel project seem virtually nonexistent – a reality that clearly influences both Pratt’s and Bautista’s perspectives on returning to their roles.

Marvel Studios has several potential paths forward, including featuring Star-Lord in upcoming ensemble films like Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars, where he could participate in high-stakes storylines without requiring a full Guardians reunion. Alternatively, they could develop the solo project hinted at by the “Legendary Star-Lord will return” message, though Pratt’s recent comments suggest he would approach such an offer with considerable caution without Gunn’s involvement.

Pratt will appear next in Netflix’s The Electric State, which will be available on the streaming platform on March 14th.

Would you like Pratt to return as Star-Lord? Would you prefer the character to be part of a crossover event or get his own solo project? Let us know in the comments!