Credit: LucasfilmJames Gunn claims he is leaving Marvel Studios with the most important character yet.
Related: ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ Might End With These Character Deaths
Robert Downey Jr.’s return to the limelight as Iron Man/Tony Stark in the 2008 film Iron Man marked the beginning of a new era for Marvel Studios. Director Joss Whedon’s The Avengers (2012) then established a standard for a series of interconnected stories that spanned an entire cinematic universe and culminated in a grand shared finale. This approach was perfected with the conclusion of the Infinity Saga, which was led by the Russo Brothers’ films Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019), closing out Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Currently, James Gunn, a celebrated director in the Marvel Studios Guardians franchise, is the latest in a line of successful Marvel directors to depart the company, having been the showrunner for the Guardians of the Galaxy series of films that began nearly a decade ago.
He’s departing for the greener pastures of DC Studios’ DC Universe (DCU), as President in charge of reshaping the prior DC Extended Universe (DCEU) to his own design. But before he leaves, it seems that he’s leaving Marvel Studios and The Walt Disney Company (and MCU fans) with a rather interesting, Star Wars-esque parting gift.
Why is Grogu significant?
Related: ‘Guardians’ Director James Gunn Speaks Out on Recasting Characters In His Movies
Well, if you aren’t a well-versed Star Wars aficionado, you might not know who Grogu is. If you’ve ever heard of the green alien Jedi Master Yoda, Grogu is a member of the same species in the Star Wars universe who debuted in Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian TV series over on Disney+ starring Pedro Pascal as the eponymous lone bounty hunter, Din Djarin. Also known as “Baby Yoda”, the fan favorite Grogu might look like an infant, but due to their species’ rate of growth, is in fact 50 years old during the events of the Mandalorian. Grogu’s mysterious background has been a key part of his role in the universe of Star Wars, serving as a central plot point in the show, as the Mandalorian is tasked with protecting him and helping him to develop his Force abilities while also trying to unravel the mystery of his past. This “Baby Yoda” character is primarily known for being adorable, but is an undeniably important icon of the Star Wars franchise, and a major plot point within the narrative.
What James Gunn is leaving to Marvel Studios
Most know by now that the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be the final nail in the coffin for the current team of Guardians. The last Guardians of the Galaxy film will see familiar faces reprising their roles from the previous films for a final farewell, including Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill, aka Star-Lord, the gun-toting human and former Celestial, will lead the pack, accompanied by the green Gamora (Zoe Saldaña) and cyborg Nebula (Karen Gillan), daughters of Thanos, the tree-like alien Groot (Vin Diesel), the fluffy yet deadly Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper), the revenge-bound Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista), empath Mantis (Pom Klementieff), Ravager Kraglin Obfonteri (Sean Gunn), Cosmo the Dog (Maria Bakalova), and Stakar Ogord (Sylvester Stallone). Martinex (Michael Rosenbaum), as well as Daniela Melchior and Nico Santos are cast in currently undisclosed roles. The Guardians will tangle with with the all-gold Adam Warlock, played by newcomer Will Poulter, Elizabeth Debicki’s Ayesha and Chukwudi Iwuji as the High Evolutionary. The colorful Guardians cast were last seen in the heartwarming Christmas adventure exclusively on Disney+ in the Marvel Studios Special Presentation, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022).
But there’s a potential new “Grogu” for the MCU — and James Gunn is handing the reins over to Marvel.
The latest Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 trailer can be viewed here:
Now, Guardians 3 director James Gunn is opening up before his final Marvel movie hits theaters this May 5, 2023. Speaking to Empire, he speaks about new “most important character” to the MCU in the future that he is leaving to the good people at Marvel:
Probably the most important character to the Marvel Universe going forward is Blurp.
Who is “Blurp”, you ask? Well, Empire delves into this in “a major, internet-breaking world-exclusive”, as Gunn goes on to explain the character’s origin, who he is and why he’s important — potentially “chang[ing] the Guardians’ destiny forever”.
Gunn continues:
Blurp begins as a pet of one of the Ravagers in the movie. He carries him around. Blurp is what’s known as a furry F’saki. In the very first movie, if you remember, there was that Orloni table that they were betting on, with that beast that was eating the animals. The bigger thing was eating the smaller things. That thing was a non-furry F’saki. Blurp is a furry F’saki. So that’s what he is. He’s a pet.
According to Empire, the character of Blurp in the new Guardians movie is “one of the gifts he’ll leave behind for future filmmakers to run with in Phase 5 and 6”. In Gunn’s words:
I am incredibly excited about Blurp as well. He’s a great character and offers a lot to the Guardians universe.
The interview finally alleges that “everything you know is about to change, forever” — and we really shouldn’t rule out the fact that Gunn is being genuine here. This new Blurp character is absolutely the sort of unhinged, Multiverse-altering stuff that could leave huge impacts on the Marvel Cinematic Universe going forward. We could be seeing a new Baby Yoda craze, within the MCU and among Marvel fans. But only time will actually tell if Blurp will stand up as a similarly creepy-cute, deceptively powerful and mysterious alien companion to rival Grogu’s role in Star Wars.
Do you think we have another “Grogu” on our hands? Are you excited for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3? Share your thoughts in the comments below!