Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 star Will Poulter reveals his debuting Marvel character Adam Warlock won't be as perfect as audiences expect. Guardians of the Galaxy 3, set for release in 2023, is part of Marvel's recently announced upcoming Phase 5 of the MCU. Returning to complete his trilogy of sci-fi action-comedies; James Gunn has promised an emotional send-off for his beloved gang of space rogues including Star-Lord, Rocket Raccoon and Groot. The highly anticipated comic book is set to tie a knot on the Guardians' stories as well as introducing several fan-favorite cosmic Marvel characters.
One such character making his debut in the film is Poulter's new hero Adam Warlock. A hugely important character in the comics, Adam was teased all the way back in the post-credits scene of Guardians of the Galaxy 2 in 2017, where Elizabeth Debicki's Ayesha used her Sovereign resources to create an ultimate foil for her enemies. A messiah-like figure; Warlock is the 'perfect being' and has often found himself battling some of the universe's biggest threats. Poulter, known for his comedic roles in films like We're the Millers, and more recently for his dramatic turns in Detroit and Midsommar, was a surprising casting among fans.
During Screen Rant's time at San Diego Comic-Con's Marvel press line, the British actor was asked about his character's challenges and traits. Surprisingly, Poulter reveals "I [Warlock] am very, very far from perfect", contrary to what his comic book counterpart would suggest. The actor adds that director Gunn allowed him to "explore Adam's imperfections as well", adding a greater layer of depth to the super-powered alien. Poulter explains that "He's in his infancy" as a newly created being, and thus is "effectively a newborn". Check out his full quote below:
The first thing to confront is that I am very, very far from perfect. I think one of the cool things about this character is that James certainly allowed me to kind of explore Adam's imperfections as well, while he orientates himself. He's in his infancy at this point of the story, so he's really trying to [orient] himself in this world as effectively a newborn.
Gunn previously shed light on Adam Warlock in Guardians of the Galaxy 3, stating the film's version is "our take on Adam." He cited the many different takes different comic writers had had on the character, so it will be interesting to see Gunn's iteration in full when the film premieres. Based on how Ayesha teased Adam Warlock in Guardians of the Galaxy 2, calling him "the next step in our evolution," it sounded like he was essentially engineered to be a perfect being. What Gunn has in mind has the potential to be very interesting. The best characters have inherent flaws that help make them well-rounded.
Fans of the comics will be surprised that Adam Warlock may not be as perfect as expected. However, Poulter's explanation makes a lot of sense. With the character newly born and struggling to adapt, he will share traits with a naive child, much like Paul Bettany's synthezoid Vision when he first gained sentience in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Poulter's take on the character appears to be adding a greater depth and ambiguity to the cosmic superhuman and he will surely be a welcome addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe next year.
