Guardians of the Galaxy 4 should still happen, even without James Gunn's involvement. Marvel Studios turned the obscure comic book team into a global franchise in 2014 under the direction of Gunn. With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 on the horizon, there is already talk about the possibility of it being the end of the series. James Gunn has repeatedly stated his expectation is to walk away from the franchise after completing the trilogy. This has also come with indications that the current version of the Guardians team will cease to exist when it is over, with even Dave Bautista saying he won't play Drax again.

The possibility of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise concluding with the next film is understandable on some level. The group of Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, and Groot - and now Nebula and Mantis - are established as the Guardians of the Galaxy. These characters and their stories are what audiences have connected with over the years. Gunn is largely responsible for this thanks to how he's crafted the movies and injected them with heart, action, and humor. This is why the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise has become so popular around the world. But, that doesn't mean that Guardians of the Galaxy 4 shouldn't happen.

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Fans might currently think that the Guardians of the Galaxy can only be around with some semblance of the core team still intact. However, Guardians of the Galaxy 4 can have a new team lineup, and prove that there is still a place it in the MCU. One or two members of the current team can remain and show the newer members what it means to be the Guardians of the Galaxy. This can make the Guardians of the Galaxy an intergalactic superhero team with a rotating cast of characters, effectively making them the “space Avengers” for the MCU. So when the next galactic issue arises, this should be where Marvel brings Guardians of the Galaxy 4 into the larger MCU picture.

Losing Gunn would be a tough pill for some to swallow, but it would also be fitting for him and the original team to leave at the same time. He is as synonymous with the Guardians of the Galaxy at this point as any character is. If Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 wraps up their story, then he should only be involved in future installments if he’s equally as passionate about the overall character journeys. But since he has confirmed that any future Guardians of the Galaxy team will feature a vastly different collection of characters, Guardians of the Galaxy 4 can serve as a continuation and reboot of the franchise with a new core team and creative vision.

As for what Guardians of the Galaxy 4 could look like, there are several characters primed to take a spot on the next Guardians team. Gunn has teased the likes of Adam Warlock and Quasar as possible additions for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, so they could join the team’s ranks in the future. Other cosmic characters like Beta Ray Bill, Moondragon, Phyla-Vell, Nova, Vance Astro, and Jack Flag could all be in consideration for the next team too. The Guardians have had several iterations in the comics, so it will only be natural for Marvel Studios to take a similar approach. And while a future Guardians team could be saved for team-ups or supporting appearances, any future team should be given the chance to continue the franchise with Guardians of the Galaxy 4.

MORE: Every James Gunn Movie Ranked From Worst To Best

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