Chris Pratt Set To Die In Guardians Of The Galaxy 3?

Could Chris Pratt's character be headed to the great beyond in the third Guardians of the Galaxy movie?

By Tyler Pisapia | Updated

Chris Pratt guardians of the galaxy

As the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise prepares to draw to a close at the end of its third movie, many are speculating that it will also mean the end of Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord character. 

Unfortunately for fans who feel that the first two movies only scratched the surface of the potential for the Guardians of the Galaxy, the franchise is going to end after a Christmas special as well as a third and final adventure, both written and directed by series helmer James Gunn. Now, Marvel Cinematic Universe fans are speculating that Chris Pratt’s character will meet his end by the time the credits roll on the film.

The rumor stems from a confession that Gunn made during an Instagram watch party back in April of 2020. When a fan asked him directly if someone would die, he responded with an unequivocal “yes.” While he didn’t specifically name Chris Pratt’s character, many have reasoned that he’s the likely choice for when it’s all said and done. However, that’s not to say there aren’t other options on the table. 

The Guardians of the Galaxy franchise is no stranger to killing off characters. The first movie saw adult Groot meet his end. The sequel had fans say goodbye to Yondu just as they were beginning to like him. When the gang got back together in Avengers: Infinity War, Gamora was killed by her Mad Titan father, Thanos. Although a different version of Gamora appeared in Avengers: Endgame, the point is that the franchise isn’t afraid to kills its heroes. When it comes to a gut punch to close out the franchise, it’s hard not to look toward Chris Pratt. 

After all, Peter Quill’s story has arguably come to an end with the events of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 after he meets his father and unravels the mystery of his birth. It’s hard to envision an ending where the group rides off into the sunset poised to go on more off-screen adventures. The entire franchise would be dogged by constant fan speculation about where the Guardians team is with each subsequent sequel. Meanwhile, if Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill was killed off, the team would likely disband and the remaining team members would be free to pop up solo in other MCU projects. 

It would also be in keeping with comments Dave Bautista recently said in an interview with ComicBook.com that the third movie “wraps things up” for the franchise. However, it’s worth noting that Bautista has mentioned that his contract is up with Marvel and that, regardless of whether his Drax character lives or dies.

Chris Pratt Star-Lord

WeGotThisCovered notes that, although Chris Pratt is a bit of a front-runner to be killed off, Rocket is another top pick. This is based on a theory that the color pallet for each of the Guardians of the Galaxy title cards somewhat foreshadows who dies in each movie. The third film has been presented with a gray color pallet, which many believe points to Rocket. However, this also points to Drax and his gray skin. 

In short, Chris Pratt’s days in the Marvel Cinematic Universe may be numbered. On the other hand, it could be any number of characters in the franchise — what’s Nebula even doing these days? Unfortunately, fans will just have to wait until James Gunn puts the finishing touches on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 before anyone knows for sure.