GOTG 2 Cut 3 Major Superheroes (& Why That Was Great For The MCU)

Three major Marvel Comics superheroes were cut from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – and the MCU’s future will be better for it. In a recent tweet, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 director James Gunn added Darkhawk to the list of characters who could have appeared in the movie. At other points in the development process, there were also plans for both Adam Warlock and Wonder Man.

Darkhawk, Wonder Man, and Adam Warlock are among the many Marvel Comics characters who could have been in an MCU movie but didn’t make it into the final draft. Comments from other writers and directors have revealed that quite a few Marvel heroes and villains nearly had big-screen roles or simply had their debuts delayed. Balder the Brave originally had a part to play in the story for Thor: The Dark World and has yet to make an appearance. Nova, on the other hand, was cut from Avengers: Endgame but is still expected to get his own MCU project. Nova will reportedly get his own movie or show in the next few years.

Like the situation with Richard Rider's Nova and other Marvel characters, the heroes who were cut from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 could show up in upcoming MCU installments. In fact, at least one of the three is already confirmed to have a future in the MCU. Marvel could have big plans for the other two as well, but their potential could have been wasted had they appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Here’s what’s been said about their roles, why they were cut, and why the decision to axe them was great for the MCU.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2's 3 Cut Superheroes Explained

According to Gunn, Darkhawk was “almost” in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. In the comic books, Darkhawk was a teenage, street-level superhero who eventually joined the cosmic side of the Marvel Universe as one of the universe’s many super-powered protectors. What his role would have been remains unclear, but his exclusion fits with previous comments Gunn made about the story being too crowded with characters during the treatment phase.

This is apparently why the genetically-engineered Adam Warlock was reduced to a post-credits scene that just mentioned his name. Warlock, known for being Thanos’ biggest enemy and the hero who ultimately took him down in the Infinity Gauntlet comic, Adam Warlock could have been made available for the Avengers’ fight with Thanos if Gunn hadn’t changed his plan for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Gunn said that he originally intended on having Warlock appear as a major character in the film, but with Mantis already being added to the team, it became necessary for one of them to be cut. This led to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 setting up Adam Warlock instead of actually showing him.

A character who came much closer to appearing in the movie than Adam Warlock or Darkhawk was Wonder Man aka Simon Williams, an incredibly powerful Avenger who worked as a Hollywood actor. Scenes set on Earth would have included posters of Simon Williams’ movies, with Nathan Fillion portraying the character. However, the posters weren’t featured in the final cut. That being said, Gunn hasn’t ruled out the possibility of Fillion playing Wonder Man in some capacity in a different Marvel movie.

Why MCU's Adam Warlock Change Is Good For Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

guardians of the galaxy vol 3 Adam warlock story comics Will poulter

While Adam Warlock appearing early would have allowed him to appear as one of the many heroes who opposed Thanos in Infinity War and Endgame, it’s unlikely that Marvel would have made him the leader of Earth’s heroes. After all, the Avengers were always going to be the focus of the final fight with Thanos. Since that’s the case, Gunn’s decision to save the Golden Gladiator for later wasn’t a problem. Plus, it makes sense that holding off on his debut will only make his introduction even better. It’s been confirmed that Will Poulter will play Adam Warlock in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Instead of being stuffed into a plot that already included new characters like Ego the Living Planet and Mantis, the movie can craft a story around him and give him the attention a Marvel hero of his importance deserves.

Wonder Man Can Now Become An MCU Avenger In Phase 5

With Marvel’s roadmap consisting of such a diverse lineup of Marvel movies and shows, Wonder Man developing a significant presence in the MCU feels more feasible now than it did in 2017 when Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was released. As one of the most important Avengers still missing from the MCU, Wonder Man should be a strong candidate to get his own Disney+ show and a spot on the next Avengers team. A series centered on him could focus on various elements of his character, such as his life as a businessman ruined by Tony Stark, his career as a Hollywood movie star, or his struggles with coming back from the dead. In the comics, Wonder Man’s ionic energy makes him virtually immortal, which means that he’s experienced death and resurrection on multiple occasions.

To do Simon Williams justice, it would be best for Marvel to give him a proper origin story and evolve him into Wonder Man. If Marvel had kept Fillion’s cameo, there’s a good chance that Williams would have already experienced much of his journey as Wonder Man before he appeared again, especially since the actor is 51 years old. In other words, his Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 cameo would have greatly reduced Wonder Man's MCU potential. But since Marvel didn’t go down that road, it can cast a younger actor as the hero and make room for a more substantial arc in the MCU and possibly even a role in Avengers 5. With all the years he’s spent with the Avengers, there’s no shortage of storytelling potential in terms of what it can do with his character.

Why Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Was Too Soon For Darkhawk

Darkhawk flies in space in Marvel Comics.

Regardless of what Gunn had in mind for Darkhawk, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. would have been too soon for his character as well. As a teenager who suddenly acquired super powers, Christopher Powell’s Darkhawk is a superhero in the same vein as Spider-Man. For years, Powell struggled to balance his normal life as a kid growing up in Queens and his activities as Darkhawk. Because of an amulet that allowed him to control a cosmic android body, Powell often found himself teaming up with other heroes and protecting the world from various threats. Later, Marvel matured the character and sent him into outer space. The idea that he was almost in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 implies that Marvel would have skipped those early years, which would have been a huge mistake for the MCU.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 putting Christopher Powell in space as a cosmic superhero would have taken several major events from his life off the table, including his origin story and his first adventures on Earth. As a character who represents the younger generation of superheroes, Darkhawk would be a perfect fit for Marvel’s Young Avengers team. Admittedly, he could prove to be an interesting addition to a Guardians of the Galaxy movie, but the beginning of his story should be explored first.

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