James Gunn reflects on his decades-long MCU journey as ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ receives the finishing touches

Back in the early 2010s, as the Marvel Cinematic Universe slowly began to shift into less grounded and more cosmic and far-reaching stories, James Gunn arrived at the crime scene Protector of the Galaxy. The director has done a great job of expanding the scope of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it’s finally time he said goodbye to the franchise.

James Gunn recently took to Twitter to share a feeling pretty much every creative has ever had while putting the finishing touches on a long-running project and took a moment to reflect on his time and contribution to the MCU, fresh from locking audio mix on what’s to come Guardian of the Galaxy: Volume 3.

Finalizes the audio mix for #GotGVol3 last night & I’m just so incredibly excited to share this movie with everyone; I am with tears in my eyes and so thankful for this trip. Despite the ups and downs, what a wonderful experience these last ten years have been. 💜

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) April 5, 2023

The bittersweetness that James Gunn seems to share makes us all the more feel like there’s going to be some serious and deadly finality for some, if not all, fan-favorites Guardian. After all, most of the pre-release promotional materials didn’t shy away from making clear the fact that this will be the final chapter for the team.

When all is said and done after the release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, as DC Studios co-head Gunn will naturally focus on the competition. He will aim to give the DC Universe a much-needed fresh coat of paint and has already made a number of controversial decisions along the way.

Still, we can’t help but be grateful for Gunn’s contributions to the MCU over the past decade, as he’s given us one of the more enduring superhero teams the franchise has seen in its 15-year lifespan. What is Gunn planning for the DC Universe? Earlier this year, he unveiled a detailed roadmap for his first set of films for the franchise, in what he’s dubbing “Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters.”

But before all that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 hits theaters on May 5, 2023.