We're a few days away from the U.S. release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, but writer/director James Gunn and star Zoe Saldana are already eyeing the future of the franchise. Ever since the Guardians sequel was first announced, it's been clear that Gunn would be shining a spotlight on the relationship between Gamora and Nebula in the film. As two assassins raised and experimented on by Thanos, they not only offer a unique take on the idea of sibling rivalry, but have the best insight into the Mad Titan who will soon step into the spotlight, for next year's Avengers: Infinity War.

While the Guardians are said to play a key role in Infinity War, Gamora and Nebula will likely factor into the story even more than the others. In fact, given the duo's unique place in the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe, there's already been talk about a Nebula spinoff in particular. As for Gamora, Gunn's recently-announced Guardians 3 looks to feature the character prominently.

Speaking with USA Today about the new movie, Gunn revealed that while only preliminary work has begin on Guardians of the Galaxy 3, he's already begun discussing things with the franchise's stars. He and Chris Pratt have so far discussed story ideas, while Gunn has had "some pretty significant conversations" with Saldana about what is gearing up to be an equally-significant role in the upcoming movie.

A recent report on the early ticket sales for Guardians 2 revealed that the film's increased focus on its female characters is a major driving factor in audiences heading to theaters, so it makes sense for Gunn to continue to focus on Gamora. Between Saldana's ever-growing star in Hollywood and Gamora's significance to the story of not only the Guardians but Marvel's cosmic universe as a whole, there's a good chance we'll see both continue to be a presence in the MCU, for years to come.

In the meantime, Gunn is setting aside thoughts of the Guardians and heading off on a much-needed vacation, stating he needs to “get my head on straight after three years of waking up and going to sleep and thinking about a talking raccoon.” Fair enough, James, fair enough. Luckily, we still have plenty of talking raccoon in our future, with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2's debut just a few days away (and the promise of Guardians 3 to follow, sometime in the next few years).

NEXT: 16 Things You Didn't Know About Gamora

Source: USA Today