Adam Warlock is confirmed to appear in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, potentially setting up Thor's role in the highly anticipated 2023 release. Marvel had originally intended their Phase 4 slate to kick off with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, but plans changed when writer/director James Gunn was briefly fired by Disney due to the resurfacing of controversial comments he'd made on social media in the past. After multiple meetings between Gunn and Disney higher-ups—not to mention an outpouring of support from the entire Guardians cast—the studio was ultimately impressed with his seemingly genuine repentance, reinstating him.

With filming expected to begin in November 2021, this naturally means some key details—including casting for the project—are beginning to become public knowledge at last. Gunn has confirmed reports that Will Poulter, a strange choice, has been cast as Adam Warlock, a cosmic being whose creation was teased in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2's post-credits scene. The brief scene saw Ayesha, high priestess of a race called the Sovereign who "perfect" themselves through genetic engineering, create a new being she intends to name Adam. It's clear that Ayesha wants to use Adam Warlock as a weapon against the Star-Lord and the rest of the Guardians, setting up a fairly traditional superhero arc in which characters collide at first and team up by the third act.

Related: How Guardians Of The Galaxy 2 Set Up Vol. 3's Adam Warlock

Avengers: Endgame ended with Thor accompanying the Guardians into space following the death of Thanos and restoration of the universe. Given that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was originally supposed to take place immediately afterwards, it's reasonable to assume he could be on board the Milano—although with Thor: Love & Thunder now due out in theaters first, the timeline might be a bit messy. Thor is a perfect addition to the Guardians here, assuming Marvel's Adam Warlock is true to the comics. Adam is historically one of the most powerful beings in the entire universe, making him more than a formidable challenge for the Guardians on their own. The addition of the God of Thunder and his mighty Stormbreaker may ultimately prove to be a necessary one.

Thor wielding Stormbreaker while lightning comes out of him

Thor and Adam Warlock have indeed traded blows in the comics before now. The Asgardian is physically stronger, but Warlock's energy manipulation powers have typically given him the edge in combat. Still, the MCU's incarnation of Warlock likely won't possess the Soul Stone—an item key to his story in the comics—meaning however powerful he may be, his actual set of abilities may need to be switched up for the upcoming film. Even if the character were somehow able to bring the Stone back into play, Thor's Stormbreaker has proven useful in deflecting energy blasts from all six Infinity Stones, and has even been known to slay Celestials.

While a battle between Warlock and the Guardians/Thor could be on the horizon, a potential team-up would be equally impressive. The God of Thunder would be essential to give the Guardians of the Galaxy a chance in battle against Adam Warlock, but they'd all be able to play a key role in a future collaboration. What's more, James Gunn has been clear he expects Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 to be the end of the road for this iteration of the team—Dave Bautista has already confirmed he will not be returning in the role of Drax the Destroyer—but Marvel may still put together a new Guardians of the Galaxy team afterwards. If so, the heroism of Peter Quill and his merry band may be what it takes to get Adam Warlock to join, or lead the team in the wake of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

More: The MCU Adam Warlock Has Lost His Biggest Story

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