With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 now available on Digital HD, DVD, and Blu-ray, many fans have already looked ahead to the future. James Gunn will return to continue expanding the cosmic side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and while some Guardians enthusiasts assume that Adam Warlock will show up in the highly anticipated threequel, now we are not so sure. In fact, when pressed about the possibility of casting Tom Cruise as Warlock in Guardians 3, Gunn revealed that we should not presume that the character will appear in the next movie at all, writing:
James Gunn loves to send cryptic messages to his fans, but he has seldom provided us with misinformation about a given film. All he's known for is being selective about the information that he dolls out. With that in mind, there's no reason to assume that he's lying about Adam Warlock's involvement (or lack of involvement) in the next installment in this franchise. Adam Warlock is coming, but he may not make his debut in the next Guardians movie.
You would be forgiven for assuming that Adam Warlock would make his first official appearance in the next Guardians of the Galaxy story. After all, his cocoon is a focal point of one of Vol. 2's many mid-credits sequences.
However, if we are to take James Gunn at his word about Adam Warlock not showing up in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (as well as the reports that he will not appear in the Infinity War arc), then it stands to reason that Gunn and Marvel Studios may be thinking long-term. The seeds of Warlock's arrival have been planted, but with a massive upheaval on the horizon for the end of Phase 3 and the beginning of Phase 4, it is entirely possible that Warlock could eventually become one of the new heroes introduced in the wake of Avengers 4.
Besides, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 apparently already has many vital plates to keep spinning. James Gunn recently revealed that the upcoming trilogy capper would bring the current incarnation of the Guardians team to an end, as well as usher in the next decade or two of Marvel stories. When you put all of that together, it looks like there will be room for Adam Warlock beyond Guardians 3.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is now available on Digital HD, Blu-ray, and DVD. James Gunn's cosmic band of misfit heroes will make their next MCU appearance in the battle against Thanos when The Avengers: Infinity War premieres in theaters on May 4, 2018.
