James Gunn explains why the MCU needs to feature some of its heroes experience death. Following a tumultuous couple of years for the filmmaker which included getting fired and rehired to direct and write Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, he’s back with Marvel Studios. While he’s currently busy with DC’s The Suicide Squad first which is already in production, Gunn will soon be back in familiar territory as he’s set to helm the threequel. In the meantime, he’s indulging some fans online by entertaining their queries about the upcoming return of Star-Lord and his band of cosmic heroes, as well as the franchise as a whole.

Prior to getting fired, Gunn was reportedly going to spearhead the MCU’s cosmic expansion. He collaborated with Joe and Anthony Russo regarding how to handle the Guardians of the Galaxy in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Not much is known what’s next for the ragtag team but with the filmmaker already finished their trilogy capper’s story, he already knows where the movie will lead the fan-favorite characters, and many are worried that one or two of them will bite the dust.

In light of this, a fan reached out to Gunn on Twitter, appealing that he doesn’t kill any of his primary heroes in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. He argued that there’s really no need to do that since there are other ways to resolve their story arcs. The filmmaker countered with an explanation on why deaths are pivotal not just in his films but in the MCU as a whole. Pratt also chimed in on the conversation, making light of it by joking that Gunn’s answer makes him queasy with regard to Star-Lord’s fate. Fans have started worry about heroes dying in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 when Gunn seemingly teased the death of a beloved member last year. He didn’t give any indication who it might be, but the public is worried nonetheless. Check out the tweets below:

For years, the MCU has been criticized for its lack of stakes - a big reason for it is because the franchise’s heroes always emerge unscathed after every battle regardless of how supposedly dangerous it was. And, in the few times that someone supposedly bites the bullet, they eventually reverse it with different explanations. Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is a prime example of this. The God of Mischief was believed to have died several times, the latest of which was in Infinity War. Still, Marvel Studios was able to find a way to continue his narrative with the Disney+ show Loki. Gunn was always a proponent of killing  prominent characters and sticking to it. After Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 saw the demise of Yondu, many people asked Gunn if there’s any way he’ll be back, and the filmmaker said that as long as he’s in charge of these films, Michael Rooker’s character will remain dead.

Aside from the narrative-implications, seeing death in the MCU helps to ground the franchise. Much of the reason why the film series has been so popular stems from people’s investment on these characters. If they’re perpetually safe from anything, people won’t have the strong urge to root for them. So as sad as it was seeing characters such as Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) die in Endgame, it’s necessary for a sustainable franchise.

More: The One Thing In Common With Avengers: Endgame’s Biggest Deaths

Source: James Gunn, 2

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