JAMES GUNN HAS announced more casting details for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, with Linda Cardellini appearing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe once again.
The Dead to Me actress played Laura Barton, the wife of Jeremy Renner’s Clint Barton in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Avengers: Endgame and Hawkeye, but now she will take on a new role, alongside Mikaela Hoover and Asim Chaudhry for Gunn’s threequel.
“Meet Rocket’s childhood friends from Counter-Earth,” wrote Gunn in an Instagram post which showcased the three characters. “@lindacardellini is Lylla (Otter). @mikaela is Floor (Rabbit). And @asimc is Teefs (Walrus).
“Together they’re perhaps the primary reason I needed to tell Rocket’s story and finish this trilogy. I love them all dearly. #GotGVol3 #SinceYouBeenGone”
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3, which will be released in cinemas next week, has already received positive first reactions with many calling it a “heartbreaking and hilarious” movie, and a “satisfying end” to the Guardians trilogy.
The threequel also marks Gunn’s last project with the MCU (for now), following his move to DC Studios at the end of the last year.
The director explained that the events of Avengers: Endgame made it hard for future entries in the series. He said: “I really want Marvel to keep making good movies [but] I think it’s really hard in the wake of the Blip. There’s this worldwide, universe-wide event that happened.
“And in truth, everybody would be stark raving mad at this point. So it’s hard to write stories in the wake of that. Which is why the Guardians movies have been easier, because they’re set outside of that a little bit,” he added.
Despite his recent move to DC, Gunn did tease the prospect of returning to the MCU in the future, after confirming that discussions had been held for a superhero crossover film between the two studios.
“I’m certain that’s more likely now that I’m in charge [at DC]. Who knows?” he said. “That’s many years away, though. I think we have to establish what we’re doing [at DC] first. I would be lying to say that we haven’t discussed it. But all discussions have been very, very light and fun.”
George Lewis is a freelance news writer at Digital Spy.
