The sequel to Guardians of the Galaxy may be adding a few new antiheroes to the team but it's not adding another Infinity Stone to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Instead, the five ex-cons led by Peter Quill a.k.a. Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) and their new "allies" will be living in spotlight of fame for their actions saving Xandar from Ronan the Accuser, and taking on new gigs throughout the cosmos to live up to their reputation.
Where the first movie saw the team come together over acquiring and then preventing Ronan from using the purple Power Stone (one of the universe's six ancient all-powerful artifacts), which is now held in safekeeping by Xandar's Nova Corps police force, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 won't involve a similar plot MacGuffin the character are all in search of. At least, that's what writer and director James Gunn is telling fans.
Adding specificity to comments made earlier this year in regards to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 where he said it's "not really so much about the Infinity Stones" Gunn posted on Facebook over the weekend the flat out confirmation fans have been waiting for:
"There will be no Infinity Stones in Vol. 2."
And take that for what it says. James Gunn says he never, ever lies to fans. So, even more than the first Guardians the sequel is as seemingly "standalone" as Gunn made it sound like when he first began vaguely describing it while interacting with fans during live-streamed Q&A sessions. He said from the outset that his original pitch for Vol. 2 was a bold and "risky" idea that took Marvel's creative committee by surprise, but equally impressed them.
The sequel doesn't open in theaters until May 2017 but we already know that it will not bring back or include Rhomann Dey (John C. Reilly), The Collector (Benicio Del Toro), or Thanos (Josh Brolin), and now we also know it won't have much - or potentially, anything - to do with Infinity. No gauntlet, no stones.
Instead, new character Ayesha and the returning Ravagers (the space pirate faction that Michael Rooker's Yondu is a part of) will serve as antagonists, potentially alongside Quill's recently revealed father in Ego the Living Planet (Kurt Russell). It's a "story about fathers" this time around, deeper and emotional, and character driven instead of... Infinity Stone driven.
So, Where Are The Last Two Infinity Stones?
The idea that there are no Infinity Stones in the next cosmic Marvel movie is interesting since on paper Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 seems the most logical place to establish more of the lore behind the MCU's main villain and plot MacGuffins - which are all cosmic in nature. At some point during 2018's Avengers: Infinity War (that title was just confirmed by Disney this week) all six stones will be assembled into the Infinity Gauntlet and at this point in time - just a few months before Doctor Strange releases - we're only seen four.
The Soul Stone and Time Stone have yet to be revealed and it's a safe bet Spider-Man: Homecoming won't have anything to do with Infinity Stones either so that leaves Doctor Strange, Thor: Ragnarok, and Black Panther as stories that could introduce the final stones alongside Infinity War itself.
Doctor Strange's marketing revealing a glowing green stone inside of the Eye of Agomatto amulet Strange wears (see: A Guide To Doctor Strange’s Magical Artifacts) and the fact that the movie deals with magic and alternate realities make it a high potential story to feature an Infinity Stone. But the same can be said about Thor: Ragnarok, a buddy adventure across the cosmos dealing with the "end of all things," and Black Panther, which takes place in secretive high-tech nation steeped in spirituality.
Two of these movies however, are Earth-based, and have even more Stones already planted on our home might make the Marvel Cinematic Universe feel even smaller than it already does with the limited exploration of the cosmic side at this point in time.
More: Guardians of the Galaxy 2' Ego the Living Planet Explained
Doctor Strange opens November 4, 2016; Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – May 5, 2017; Spider-Man: Homecoming– July 7, 2017; Thor: Ragnarok – November 3, 2017; Black Panther – February 16, 2018; Avengers: Infinity War – May 4, 2018; Ant-Man and the Wasp – July 6, 2018; Captain Marvel– March 8, 2019; Avengers 4 – May 3, 2019; and as-yet untitled Marvel movies on July 12, 2019, and on May 1, July 10, and November 6 in 2020.
Source: James Gunn