James Gunn Rejected Marvel's Thor Guardians Request

James Gunn, now co-CEO of DC Studios, refused to include Thor (Chris Hemsworth) in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 despite Marvel's wishes, citing his lack of connection with the character and a desire to focus on the core Guardians team. Gunn explained that while he enjoyed Hemsworth’s portrayal, he did not feel comfortable writing Thor and wanted to maintain creative integrity for his trilogy’s finale. The unresolved storyline from Avengers: Endgame, where Thor joined the Guardians, was addressed early in Thor: Love and Thunder, freeing Gunn to focus on his own narrative. Gunn also spoke about the difficulties of managing interconnected cinematic universes, expressing regret over teasing Adam Warlock in a post-credit scene without fully planning his integration. He criticized the overuse of post-credit scenes, warning that they can complicate storytelling for directors. Gunn’s insistence on prioritizing story over franchise mandates has been credited as a key factor in the Guardians films' authenticity.