'Guardians of the Galaxy 3' Director Teases Romance Between Nebula and Peter Quill

Sparks are flying between two primary characters in the latest trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023), and its director, James Gunn might’ve just confirmed rumors of a new romance for Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill/Star-Lord.

The MCU’s fan-favorite team of antiheroes is reuniting for one last ride in the James Gunn-directed Vol. 3. Most of the original cast are returning to reprise their roles for the final Guardians installment, including Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Dave Bautista as Drax, Bradley Cooper as Rocket Raccoon, Vin Diesel as Groot, Pom Klementieff as Mantis, and Karen Gillan as Nebula.

Watch the official trailer for Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 below:

The beginning of the story will reportedly see Peter Quill mourning the loss of his girlfriend, Gamora, who was sacrificed by her evil adopted father, Thanos, in Avengers: Infinity War (2018). However, using time travel technology, the Guardians were able to bring Gamora back in Avengers: Endgame (2019), but as a different, new-old version of herself from an alternate reality—one that isn’t in love with Peter.

Gamora’s sister, the redeemed Nebula, seems to have fully embraced her position on the team in Vol. 3. The movie will likely spend some time exploring the unusual relationship between the cyborg and her not-so-sibling.

But there may be some rising tensions between the two sisters, as Peter can be seen flirting with Nebula in the official trailer. The pair can also be getting a little touchy-feely with each other, albeit because they’ve probably been running from a dangerous situation. While this Gamora doesn’t have feelings for Peter anymore, there’s a chance that seeing Nebula with him might draw out some long-buried longing.

Speaking on what he claimed was an improvised scene between Pratt and Gillan during an interview with Screen Rant, director James Gunn touched on the moment, saying:

But when you look at this movie, we did a similar thing when he looks over at Nebula and kind of is eyeing her, like maybe he’s starting to feel feelings for her. And he says, “I never noticed how black your eyes were.”

While it might seem like basic “girl code” not to date your dead sister’s boyfriend, it’s also not beyond the cocky and often ignorant Peter to hit on anything that breaths—even if she’s mostly-machine. But perhaps, Gunn’s remarks could allude to a romance that can potentially mend Peter’s broken heart, while also breaking down Nebula’s walls after a lifetime of emotional abuse and torment.

So, is this the start of something more, or just a throwaway gag?

It has yet to be confirmed whether or not this is actually the start of a relationship between Nebula and Peter, but there’s no denying that Pratt and Gillan have great onscreen chemistry. However, their characters couldn’t be more different. The bitter, vengeful Nebula would almost certainly clash with the fun-loving, optimistic Peter, though their opposite personalities could be the catalyst in their blossoming relationship. And judging by his presence in the trailer, Peter hasn’t gotten over Gamora quite yet.

Perhaps, this flirty moment was just a funny, improvised moment between the two actors. Pratt is known for his comedic background, so who knows? This could’ve easily been a spur-of-the-moment line that ultimately won’t mean anything to the story. But either way, it’ll be interesting to see how the Guardians’ interpersonal relationships are tested when Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 arrives in theaters on May 5.

Do you think Peter and Nebula will get together in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3? Let us know in the comments below.