Recently, the Walt Disney Company-owned Marvel Studios headed by Kevin Feige dropped a few bombshells during this year’s San Diego Comic Con (SDCC) 2022 — including the devastating news that director James Gunn and main lead Chris Pratt would not be returning to the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, and therefore the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as a whole.

Following this huge news comes the slightly less important (at first glance) revelation that the previously advertised logo and design for the upcoming MCU Phase Five film, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 slated for May 5, 2023 is undergoing a change.

Below is the old Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 logo:

And here is the new Vol. 3 logo:

Related: Marvel Completely Changes Popular ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Character, Fans Stunned

You would not expect this to be a source of debate, but Marvel fans have proved again a dedicated bunch — that is to say, this logo change has instigated a bit of a discussion on if the logo redesign means something.

Twitter user @electivecross02 noticed a possible trend in the design and color of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise logos over the years:

There’s been a visual thing in the GOTG movies. The color of the title card always corresponds to the character who dies. The first one was brown, so Groot died. The second one was blue and red, so Yondu died. This one has colors tied to Rocket so…

There’s been a visual thing in the GOTG movies. The color of the title card always corresponds to the character who dies. The first one was brown, so Groot died. The second one was blue and red, so Yondu died. This one has colors tied to Rocket so…

— Cinephile #BlackLivesMatter (@electivecross02) August 3, 2022

 

The idea that Guardians might attempt to subtly hint at a character’s death (likely Rocket Raccoon, based on what actor Bradley Cooper has said) through the color and design choice of their branding and logo was countered by @emmett_mccann_, who brought up the festive colors of The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022), planned to debut as the final part of Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase Four on the streaming service Disney+ this December:

Also as u can clearly see here the first film’s logo was more of a yellow in the trailers… don’t think Groot was yellow sadly. Also what are you gonna say the Christmas season dies in the holiday special coz it’s Green and red lmao

Also as u can clearly see here the first film’s logo was more of a yellow in the trailers… don’t think Groot was yellow sadly. Also what are you gonna say the Christmas season dies in the holiday special coz it’s Green and red lmao pic.twitter.com/WcMYBQ3sE3

— emmett.mccann (@emmett_mccann_) August 3, 2022

@dinocrusher answers jokingly, but also makes an interesting connection with a picture of green-skinned and red/pink-haired Gamora (Zoe Saldaña):

Leave her alone, she’s already suffered enough

Leave her alone, she's already suffered enough pic.twitter.com/QE7jZytrCf

— Dynocrusher ~ Winter (@dinocrusher) August 3, 2022

The “suffering” that Gamora has experienced is a reference to the original Guardians character’s death at the hands of her father, Thanos (Josh Brolin), in his quest for the Infinity Stones in Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and — particularly, the Soul Stone, which requires the sacrifice of a loved one. A younger, past version of Gamora was present for the events of Avengers: Endgame (2019), however, and is the current Gamora that is traveling around with the gang in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 — and rather importantly, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.

If one played devil’s advocate for a moment however, this could be hinting at a more Gamora-focused storyline during the Holiday Special, as audiences and Marvel fans have yet to get a real picture of how well this version of Gamora fits in with the dysfunctional family of the Guardians. Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill/Star-Lord might be particularly melancholy this holiday season, with the holidays being the perfect time to reminisce, and remember those loved and lost — so “new-old” Gamora might have to find her place with her sister Nebula (Karen Gillan), her ex (?) Peter Quill, and the other members of the Guardians.

Back to the logo debate, though.

Related: Audiences In Tears as Marvel Gears Up to End the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Cast For Good

The updated Vol. 3 logo quite noticeably features a golden, yellow-ish color scheme — so perhaps there’s something to be read about the upcoming MCU film’s subject matter and themes.

As a result, fan @lkrzwk1 ponders:

They changed it to a more golden color, maybe there’s more armor, objects, powers, energies, and more yellow colors in something in this movie.

They changed it to a more golden color, maybe there's more armor, objects, powers, energies, and more yellow colors in something in this movie.

— Anderson  (@lkrzwk1) August 3, 2022

 

User @harvv cleverly draws the connection that has been staring us all in the face:

the adam warlock effect

the adam warlock effect

— harv 🍋 (@harvv) August 3, 2022

Indeed, something yellow or gold could indicate the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 antagonist Adam Warlock (Will Poulter), a powerful being created to destroy the Guardians by alien race, the Sovereign — remember the golden High Priestess, Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki) from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)?

Another antagonist for the Guardians this time round would be the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji), who might bring genetic-related plotlines to the forefront of the Marvel Cinematic Universe — perhaps genetically-enhanced Rocket Raccoon will dig further into his mysterious origins in the upcoming film.

We’ll just have to tune in this December and next May for any real confirmation!

What do you think of the new logo for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3? Do you think there’s any truth to this theory? Sound off in the comments below!

Before the Guardians say goodbye in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase Five outing, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023), Marvel fans will be able to see the gang in the television special, the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (also directed by James Gunn), in December 2022, exclusively on Disney+.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will star familiar faces reprising their roles from the films, such as gun-toting human (and ex-part-Celestial), Peter Quill as Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), daughters of Thanos Gamora (Zoe Saldaña) and Nebula (Karen Gillan), tree-like alien Groot (Vin Diesel), fluffy-yet-deadly Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper), revenge-bound Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista), empath Mantis (Pom Klementieff), Ravager Kraglin Obfonteri (Sean Gunn) and Stakar Ogord (Sylvester Stallone).

These space-roving heroes will come face-to-face with the all-gold Adam Warlock, played by newcomer Will Poulter, as well as Elizabeth Debicki’s Ayesha. Chukwudi Iwuji will also play the High Evolutionary in Vol. 3.

Right now Marvel fans can enjoy other MCU favorites such as Chris Hemsworth (Thor Odinson) in Taika Waititi-directed Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), as well as Disney+ Originals Moon Knight (2022) and Ms. Marvel (2022), led by Marvel newcomers Oscar Isaac (Marc Spector/Moon Knight) and Iman Vellani (Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel) respectively. Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe wraps things up with Tatiana Maslany as the eponymous She-Hulk: Attorney at Law this August 17, 2022, and Chadwick Boseman as King T’Challa send-off Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, November 11, 2022 later this year.