10 MCU Characters Who Could Lead the Next Guardians of the Galaxy Team

The era of James Gunn is officially over, and with him, the Guardians of the Galaxy. That is not to say the current movie will wipe out the team altogether, but he will certainly no longer be writing everyone’s favorite ragtag group of heroes, as he is set to take the DCU into a whole new era. That said, Marvel and Kevin Feige could decide to keep the team together, and someone else could be writing the next film with the Space Avengers.

Related: ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ Left Bradley Cooper In Tears

Should the Marvel Cinematic Universe want to keep the Guardians of the Galaxy around, there would presumably have to be a new leader. The only character that seems interested in returning is Chris Pratt as Star-Lord/Peter Quill, which would make sense. However, just because Star-Lord is replacing does not necessarily mean he would be teaming up with the Guardians again. He could pull a Thor, travel with others, or return to the Ravagers. Either way, there is a strong possibility that a new team could be put together with a brand-new leader.

Let’s look at some of the likeliest heroes who could step in to lead the new-look Guardians of the Galaxy.

Biggest MCU Characters Who Could Lead the Guardians of the Galaxy Next

Star-Lord

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The most obvious choice to lead the Guardians of the Galaxy is Star-Lord. Though heartbroken since losing Gamora, he is still a leader. Chris Pratt has also not voiced much displeasure with his current role in the MCU or has stated that he plans to move on from the character, so it would make sense for him to return and put together the remnants of the older team mixed with some new members.

Pratt has stated that he would love to work with James Gunn again, and we would imagine that Gunn will try and lure Pratt into the DCU, the same as he has with almost everyone from the Guardians of the Galaxy team. We would argue that Pratt would be perfect in the role of Booster Gold, a character that might be a bit type-cast for Pratt but would also make a ton of sense.

Pratt could also double-dip in the DCU and MCU; fans would love that. Though he has become a hot commodity through the years and is enjoying much success after voicing Mario, he would still likely return to the MCU above anything else. We would also love for Star-Lord to remain an integral part of Marvel movies, though it does not necessarily mean he has to be with the Guardians.

Gamora

Related: Zoe Saldana Has Officially Announced Her Retirement as Marvel’s Gamora

Gamora is also an interesting choice to lead the Guardians of the Galaxy, as she is also the secondary leader of the team next to Star-Lord. The issue is that she has no recollection of being with the team anymore, so it might be tough for her to step into leading this new team. It could be that the other members no longer trust her, as her memory has been erased since being sacrificed by Thanos. Still, she would be perfect for leading this new-look Guardians team.

The other issue is that Zoe Saldana has confirmed that she is retiring from portraying the character in the MCU. She has been one of the most vocal about leaving Marvel behind, especially as she also stars in Avatar. The strenuous activity of being in two huge franchises has likely caused her not to want to continue doing both. However, Saldana did say she would love it if Marvel recast the character, as she understands the hope and value that Gamora brings.

It would make sense for Marvel to pick another Gamora actress, considering the Multiverse is the biggest draw. Many people could appear as different timeline versions of our favorite characters. This presumed new Gamora could easily step in as a leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Rocket Raccoon

James Gunn has been adamant about stating that Rocket is the secret protagonist of the Guardians of the Galaxy series. If that is the case, that means he is the team leader over Star-Lord and has also acted as such in the movies. His boisterous personality has been on display plenty, and though he is a bit rough around the edges, it would also make sense for Rocket to want to step in and do things his way.

The issue is that many people believe that Rocket will meet his end at the conclusion of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3. That would mean that the character will not be capable of running the team. We also believe that Marvel would not want to recast the character over Bradley Cooper, who has done a spectacular job.

Cooper has not exactly stated he wishes to move on from his character, so he could also be a holdout that will remain in the MCU for the foreseeable future. Should Rocket survive, he would make for one of the best leaders the team has seen. He does have the sworn loyalty of Groot, so Rocket and Groot together could be a force to be reckoned with as the “co-leaders” of the new Guardians of the Galaxy team.

Nebula

Though Nebula has been a cold and calculated assassin for most of her life, often risking her life to kill Gamora, she has softened up through the last two movies. The backstory between her and Gamora is quite beautiful, and it appears that she is finally attempting to let go of her hatred from being experimented on by Thanos. Well, that trauma will likely stay with her forever, but she could finally be coming around to the idea of family and teamwork.

Nebula is also seemingly indestructible, so it would make sense for her to step up and lead a new Guardians of the Galaxy team. Karen Gillan has also repeatedly stated how much she loves portraying the character. Though Gamora has been the leading lady, so to speak, we would argue that Nebula has stepped up even more. The third film could also see the most significant changes in Nebula, effectively making her one of the most important members of the Guardians and someone who could lead the new team.

With Thanos now defeated, Nebula could also find more solace in helping out than the murderous rage she felt when he was still alive. Plus, the trailer for the new movie shows she has received some upgrades, which could make her far more powerful.

Drax the Destroyer

Drax is among the most beloved, if not the most, out of the entire Guardians of the Galaxy team. Dave Bautista has turned the character into something poetic and complicated while remaining the biggest comedic relief when needed. The issue is that Bautista has been the most vocal about leaving Marvel behind for obvious reasons.

The actor has stated he does not want to be remembered for just playing Drax, and though the character is humorous, he also wants to be taken seriously as an actor. He has since landed roles in Dune and Knock at the Cabin, which show off his acting gravitas. He has proven that he can certainly be more adaptative in his roles, and being the muscly-bound funny man isn’t the only thing he can handle.

As far as the character goes, Drax might not be the best suited to be the leader of a new Guardians of the Galaxy team. His sheer power and force often make him run headfirst into danger, which would put the rest of the group at risk. Though he can take damage while dishing out plenty, not everyone on the team would be at that same level. Drax is, unfortunately, the muscle of the group and must stay there. Also, he has to come to terms with his family being gone and find his happiness, which we think would be far more of a bigger goal than leading a team.

Mantis

Mantis is an interesting choice here, and though she shares some childlike moments with Drax, she is vastly more intelligent. She has shown plenty that love and acceptance are the way to go, which would make her a good leader. However, the character has been following everyone for quite some time, so it might be better if she just supported the team.

Ego controlled Mantis for a long time before she was “saved” by the Guardians of the Galaxy. She has been with the team ever since, but we have not seen where else she has been or wants to go. For all we know, she could take off with Peter, considering they are siblings. That would make for an interesting story that fans would want to see and could continue the reveal from the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.

Pom Klementieff is a fantastic actress who has truly brought the character to a place where everyone loves her. However, we are unsure if the actress will continue in the MCU. She is also one of the rumored actors targeted by the DCU and James Gunn, which would make sense. She might want to ditch Marvel for a bigger role in the new DCU.

Groot

Honestly, Groot would make an excellent leader. Though his speech is limited to “I Am Groot,” everyone seems to have a much bigger understanding of what he is trying to communicate. In the comics, Groot might seem like more of a bumbling sidekick, but he has proven many times that he can be deep and thought-provoking, which certainly has the makings of a great leader. He is still in his young adult life after being regrown so that he might become a wiser creature after the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

Vin Diesel is often overlooked as the voice of Groot compared to the rest of the franchise’s stars. It might be because his dialogue is limited, but he would be the least likely to stick around in the MCU. Diesel is busy with his Fast & Furious conclusion, his bigger blockbuster effort. The actor is also set to conclude his Riddick franchise, so he might want to retire as Groot.

Considering the character has limited dialogue, we would imagine that anyone can be planted into the role, pun intended. Though Groot would make an outstanding leader, he is also better as Rocket’s sidekick and protector.

Kraglin

Kraglin could theoretically step into a more powerful role and one that sees him take leadership of the Guardians of the Galaxy as well. He has been shown in the trailers for the new movie using Yondu’s powerful weapon. Considering Michael Rooker showed how powerful Yondu can be with his Yaka arrow, Kraglin could also use that to force himself into a position of power.

He has seemingly left behind the Ravagers instead of staying with the Guardians of the Galaxy, but maybe that is because he is meant to step up into a more expanded role. Kraglin would be a great choice to lead, though we are unsure if Sean Gunn will stay behind to portray the character. He works well with his brother; we know he is meant to voice Weasel in the DCU moving forward.

Stakar Ogord

We wanted to throw a bit of a wildcard choice in here: Stakar Ogord. Sylvester Stallone has played this character quite well, and it would make sense for the leader of the Ravagers to be handed the leadership role for the Guardians of the Galaxy as well. The team could be under his rule and watchful eye, which would make sense. The Ravagers are resourceful and feared throughout the galaxy, so it would make sense for the Guardians of the Galaxy to operate below the Ravagers in a way they have always been. Star-Lord was with them initially, and so was Gamora. This would make sense.

Adam Warlock

Another wildcard could be Adam Warlock, finally making his MCU debut. Will Poulter has officially been cast as one of the most powerful beings in Marvel’s continuity? Though we are unsure if Warlock will be friend or foe to the Guardians of the Galaxy, we imagine Marvel would find some way to make the character a huge ally—even a leader.

Adam Warlock has been able to wield the Infinity Gauntlet and defeat Thanos in the comics. He could be introduced in the MCU to appear as a being that can lead the new Guardians of the Galaxy team while also being instrumental in defeating Kang the Conqueror.

Related: ‘Guardians of the Galaxy 3’ Will Have ‘Lots’ of MCU Cameos

Fans have been patiently awaiting Adam Warlock’s arrival, and it would make sense that his role will be expanded further when Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 concludes. It has taken the MCU this long to bring him in, so they had better not waste this opportunity.

Who would you choose to lead the Guardians of the Galaxy next? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!