Pom Klementieff, who portrays Mantis in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, discusses how the character has changed in the franchise's third installment. Guardians of the Galaxy kicked off the franchise in 2014, introducing Marvel's band of spacefaring misfits to audiences. The film was a critical and financial success, making the obscure characters like Gamora, Drax, and Groot household names and fan-favorites. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 followed in 2017, expanding on the characters and adding some new ones, like Mantis and Ego.
James Gunn returns as writer and director for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, helming all three films in the franchise. Aside from GotG Vol. 3 coming out next year, with recent news saying it features a baby Rocket along with some backstory, Gunn and franchise stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Karen Gillan, and Klementieff are all appearing in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, which is said to hit Disney+ this holiday season. And while Mantis is a newer addition to the group, having only received minimal backstory in GotG Vol. 2 despite appearing in Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, and Thor: Love and Thunder, she is set to appear in the new film for what is likely another fun, emotional journey.
Screen Rant caught up with Klementieff at San Diego Comic-Con, where she offers some insight on how Mantis has evolved in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. According to her, Mantis is on a journey of self-discovery, honing her powers while building confidence. However, Klementieff also promises that the character would see more action. Check out her comments on Mantis in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 below:
She learned a lot more about herself, she's on a journey of self-discovery, and she feels more self-confident and more in her own power. You're gonna see more of that. She's gonna be like, "Grr... More action, dude!"
The MCU Guardians' Mantis is a unique hero within the franchise, as her abilities as an empath are distinct from heroes with abilities more suited to combat. She was initially introduced as a servant of Ego, utilizing her powers to allow him to rest. However, after Ego was brought down, she joined the Guardians of the Galaxy and has been a part of the team ever since. And while Mantis is often a more timid character, the promise of combat could be an exciting change, or with Gunn at the helm, a comedic one.
Klementieff will next portray Mantis in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special this December, before GotG Vol. 3 releases in May. Gunn has stated that this is the end of the Guardians films as audiences know them, and while that could imply numerous things, Marvel could easily keep the characters around for other projects. Audiences can see for themselves how Mantis has changed when Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 hits theaters next year.
