James Gunn and Marvel Studios considered actors from Bridgerton and 1917 to play Adam Warlock in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Adam Warlock was created by Roy Thomas and Gil Kane in 1972, repurposing a character called Him that first appeared in Fantastic Four #66 from Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1967. The character has been a staple of Marvel Comics cosmic storytelling, playing a major role in the original Infinity Gauntlet storyline.

Adam Warlock was teased at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as a creation of Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki) and the Sovereign race. Since Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was delayed from 2020 due to Disney briefly firing James Gunn, speculation on who will play Adam Warlock has been rampant. Rumors have circulated that the studio was looking at actors ranging from Keanu Reeves to Zac Efron. Gunn officially confirmed that Will Poulter (Detroit) has been cast as the role of Adam Warlock in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

Related: Guardians of the Galaxy 2: Adam Warlock Tease Explained

According to THR writer Borys Kit, Marvel also considered Regé-Jean Page (Bridgeton) and George MacKay (1917) for the role of Adam Warlock. This was a very in-demand role, and the studio had been testing actors for Warlock since August. There has been no word on what other actors tested or were considered, but it appears given the nature of being both a film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the final entry in Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, it was a very in-demand role for many young actors. Check out Kit's tweet below:

Regé-Jean Page had previously tested for the role of Seg-El on the Syfy series Krypton but was passed over in favor of Cameron Cuffe as producer Geoff Johns thought audiences expected the character to look like Henry Cavill. He is now currently set to star in Joe and Anthony Russo's next film, The Gray Man, and the upcoming Dungeons and Dragons film. George MacKay recently appeared in the Irish-Polish drama, Wolf, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and will open in theaters on December 3, 2021.

The final casting of Will Poulter, and the fact that Regé-Jean Page and George MacKay were considered, paints a certain picture of how Gunn and Marvel Studios are looking at Adam Warlock in the MCU. All three actors were born after 1990, hinting that the film will be leaning in on the actor's young looks fitting with the fact that Adam Warlock is essentially a newborn. All three actors are also British, with both Poulter and MacKay hailing from Hammersmith, England. It is possible Marvel wants Adam Warlock to have a very dignified regal presence, which could serve as a comedic contrast to the Guardians of the Galaxy more criminal attitude. While both Regé-Jean Page and George MacKay may not have landed the role in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, both could appear in another MCU project down the line.

Next: MCU's Best Use For Adam Warlock Now Is As Guardians 3's Villain

Source: Borys Kit