Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 director James Gunn has revealed Chris Pratt has an extensive history with improvisation in the franchise, including a recent moment between Peter and Nebula. This will be Gunn's final MCU film before he embarks on his new superhero journey with DC Films. Like previous entries, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 features a star-studded cast of actors like Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, and Bradley Cooper.
Screen Rant recently spoke to Gunn and Pratt about Guardians of the Galaxy. In the interview, the two discussed their long creative history together, including moments of improv and a scene with Nebula from the recent trailer. Check out the full quote below:
Chris Pratt: James has always been very, very prepared. He's known exactly what he wants to get. I think probably this film became the most liquid in finding magic in the moment that wasn't something he had predetermined in his head. I think the first film is very close to exactly what he wrote, he directed, he edited the vision that he had for the film. In this film, there was a little bit of room for a bit of these comedic jazz solos and to find something on the day and maybe relax into the creative aspect.
James Gunn: In the first movie, there's a scene where Chris talks about Kevin Bacon, and Chris and I found this gift that we have. We kind of one-up one another and make a scene better. We were talking about whatever, and I think I brought up "The Great Legend of Footloose," and you brought up "And The Great Hero Kevin Bacon." And then it became the sticks up their butts after that. Now, we didn't do that on set. We did that in my office in Shepperton, UK.
But when you look at this movie, we did a similar thing when he looks over at Nebula and kind of is eyeing her, like maybe he's starting to feel feelings for her. And he says, "I never noticed how black your eyes were."
How James Gunn’s Brand Of Improv Elevates Guardians of the Galaxy
Part of what has made the Guardians of the Galaxy series such a popular section of Marvel films is its unique brand of humor. Throughout the first two GotG films, there have been many hilarious moments that have made them a standout among fans, and the roots of several of them no doubt lie in the improvisation techniques Gunn uses with the cast. In taking already well-written scenes and expanding upon them in the style Gunn and Pratt discuss here, the movies are able to become more creative and as a result develop the unique flair that has made them so beloved.
The scene where Peter compliments the blackness of Nebula's eyes is no doubt one of the funniest from the trailer thanks to its unexpected nature, and is a great example of how improvisation can be put to good use. There is a huge amount of anticipation for the upcoming film, and knowing Gunn employed the same successful techniques with the third entry as he has in the past indicates great potential. Fans will get to see all the hilarious moments of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has to offer for themselves when it releases in theaters later this week.