Guardians of the Galaxy 3: New look at Adam Warlock & Gunn explains why Tom Cruise wasn’t cast

Last Updated on January 23, 2023

While James Gunn is on the verge of revealing his major new direction for DC Films, it’s worth remembering that he has his (presumably) final film for Marvel Studios, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, due in theaters in just a few months. In the run-up to its May 5th release, Empire Magazine posted an all-new look at the film’s antagonist, Adam Warlock, played by Will Poulter. This will be the character’s live-action debut, with Poulter, undoubtedly, set for a long run as the character. Check out the new pic:

In the same article, Gunn teased Warlock’s role. While the character has heroic qualities in the comics, in the film, he seems to be more of a bad guy, at least at first. As Gunn explains to Empire, “… he’s definitely not a good guy. What we’re seeing is the infant form of Warlock, newly out of the cocoon, and he does not understand life very well. He’s basically a baby.”

While some may remember Poulter is the kid in We Are the Millers or The Chronicles of Narnia, the 6’3 actor has bulked up significantly and has become quite a heartthrob in his native Britain, following his turn on the series Why Don’t They Ask Evans. When I saw him at Comic-Con this summer, women in the audience were screaming when he walked out on stage, making me think a new leading man has been born. According to Gunn, Tom Cruise was the guy everyone wanted to play Adam Warlock, but Gunn didn’t think he would suit the role. “I wanted somebody who was youthful, and I wanted the person who had the dramatic chops and the comedic chops, not only for this movie but for what Marvel will use Adam Warlock for in the future.”

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 hits theaters on May 5th, but before that, you should catch up with the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, which lays some important groundwork for the third film. And, of course, the next big Marvel movie is Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which opens on February 17th.

Do you think Will Poulter will be a good Adam Warlock? Let us know in the comments!