James Gunn wasn’t about to let go of Chukwudi Iwuji just yet after working with the actor on the upcoming HBO Max series Peacemaker. On Monday, Gunn posted an image from the set of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 to reveal that shooting had officially begun on the sequel. The photo features a blend of new and returning cast members, with some fans noticing that Iwuji is present with the others. Now, Gunn has officially confirmed that Iwuji was on set because he has a role in the movie.
Chuk has indeed joined the cast. After working with him on #Peacemaker I wasn’t about to let go of one of the best actors I’ve ever worked with – so I gave him the role most every big name actor in Hollywood wanted. #TalentAboveAllElsehttps://t.co/ar2vYqRt5u
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) November 8, 2021
“Chuk has indeed joined the cast,” James Gunn said to a fan who noticed the actor in the photo. “After working with him on Peacemaker I wasn’t about to let go of one of the best actors I’ve ever worked with – so I gave him the role most every big name actor in Hollywood wanted.”
While Gunn is giving some tremendous hype to Chukwudi Iwuiji’s arrival in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 by teasing that it’s for a highly-sought role, the filmmaker stops short of revealing exactly which character that might be. Let the speculation begin, as fans are already submitting their own guesses in response to Gunn’s tweet. Some of the characters theorized include Gladiator, Nova, Major Victory, Mephisto, and Silver Surfer.
Meanwhile, James Gunn has recently given us a major character reveal. Will Poulter, who can also be seen in the above photo from the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 set, was announced to play the role of Adam Warlock in the movie, following prior teases of the character’s introduction. Clearly, Gunn like to save some surprises as well, though regardless of the character he will be playing, it’s good to know that Iwuji will be involved in the upcoming movie.
Chukwudi Iwuji has appeared in movies like Blindspot, John Wick 2, and The Split, as well as TV shows such as Doctor Who, Designated Survivor, and Dynasty. This year, he was featured in the Prime Video series The Underground Railroad, which also starred Will Poulter. The actor appears in a main role in Peacemaker, James Gunn’s HBO Max series that serves as a spinoff to The Suicide Squad with John Cena reprising the role he played in that movie. It will be released in January 2022.
Gunn serves as the writer and director of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. For a time, it appeared that he wouldn’t be involved, as he was controversially fired by Disney just as he was planning to develop the sequel. This allowed for Warner Bros. and DC to swoop in to bring him on board for The Suicide Squad, and Disney has since relented by bringing back Gunn to direct the third Guardians. Even so, Gunn has suggested that the third Guardians movie may be the end of his run with Marvel, a sentiment that Dave Bautista has also shared.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is set to be released in movie theaters on May 5, 2023. Before then, Gunn will also release The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special in 2022, likely just in time for Christmas, with the special serving as a way to bridge the previous movie with the new one. It will stream exclusively on Disney+.
Source: movieweb.com