The beloved underdog of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Guardians of the Galaxy series has proven that it is vital to the larger Marvel franchise, both financially and narratively. With prominent roles in both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, the characters have clearly not faded from public consciousness. What has faded, however, is the momentum generated by Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2, particularly regarding the tease of Him, better known as Adam Warlock. A being created to destroy the Guardians, the character was (possibly) referenced during the end credits scene of the second film. He seemed poised for his big screen debut in Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3, but at this stage in the game, it seems as though Warlock's time has passed.
The first two installments of the Guardians of the Galaxy series did incredibly well on all fronts, and while a third film seemed all but a certainty, the project encountered setbacks that prevented the film from gaining traction. The project is now officially in development, but no release date has been confirmed. Given how much the MCU landscape has changed in the years since we last saw the Guardians star in their own movie, it is no surprise that the possible introduction of Adam Warlock has lost some steam.
The Marvel franchise is a complicated property; with the regular release of feature films, not to mention the multiple Disney+ series on the way, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is constantly changing. The studio's steady pace of development can make it difficult for fans to keep track of hanging plot lines. New characters are introduced into the MCU left and right, and while some may be more interesting than others, usually at one point or another, they all get their moment in the sun. However, with the Infinity Saga coming to a close, Warlock is far less relevant now than he would have been before.
Adam Warlock was an important figure during the Infinity Gauntlet story arc in the comics. In fact, he was the one responsible for bringing "Earth's mightiest heroes" together in a last hurrah to defeat Thanos. Without the Mad Titan and the Infinity Stones, what is the point of bringing the character into the MCU now? Adam Warlock could have been an immensely important part of the Infinity Saga had his arrival not been hampered by Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3's production delays. His star has faded to a degree, and the character has lost his relevancy.
Surely, Adam Warlock's inclusion in the MCU franchise would be a welcome one; however, it remains to be seen if Marvel Studios can find a creative solution to make the character's presence necessary. When Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 rolls around, audiences will simply have to decide for themselves if Marvel Studios dragged their feet too long, or if they dodged a bullet with their take on Adam Warlock — that is, if he ends up in the film at all.