William Shatner Joining The Marvel Universe In A Specific Movie?

William Shatner talks about joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

By Charlene Badasie | Published

This article is more than 2 years old

william shatner

After a turbulent time at the helm of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, James Gunn is gearing up to direct Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Since the last outing featured a guest appearance from action star Sylvester Stallone, fans are curious about who Gunn might bring in this time. Interestingly, the director may not have to look too far because Star Trek legend William Shatner says he would love to be in the movie.

During an exclusive interview with the U.K’s Express, the sprightly 90-year-old said he’d definitely be up for a role in the film because he’s “guarded the galaxy many times.” William Shatner is an absolute legend and having him join the already stacked cast would be a massive treat for sci-fi fans. The franchise’s third installment will shoot back-to-back with 2022’s Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, ahead of its own release in May 2023.

Guardians of the Galaxy 3 will see the original cast reprise their roles, but there has been no official word about any guest stars. A while back rumors about an appearance by Mark Hamill swirled online. But James Gunn said there haven’t been any talks with the Star Wars alum despite the speculation.

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If the Guardians of the Galaxy gig doesn’t work out Willam Shatner says he’d be up for returning to Star Trek in a future movie. “I would be delighted to be a part of Star Trek if it was something worthy”, he told the publication. “If they could come up with a way of putting a character I played in a movie where it functioned as a point in the movie [and] made the movie move along, I’d be delighted.”

William Shatner also talked about working with fellow sci-fi legend Christopher Lloyd, in their new movie Senior Moment. The actor spoke fondly of the Back to the Future star, saying he’s just naturally funny, very grounded, and very intelligent. Senior Moment is available to rent or buy wherever digital movies are sold.

Meanwhile, fans could be in for some major changes in Guardians of the Galaxy 3 as the team’s time together may be ending sooner than expected. During a recent Instagram live Q&A (via Inverse), writer and director James Gunn hinted that the long-awaited Marvel sequel will be the last to feature the Guardians in their current form. Speaking about both his and the Marvel team’s future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Gunn said, “This is the end of the road for me, and even more so for this group of guardians.”

Guardians of the Galaxy

The move isn’t surprising because revamping well-established teams with new members and leaders is something comic books have been doing for years. Almost every major team in the Marvel comics has had their rosters altered. The Guardians of the Galaxy are no exception.

Armed with a complete script, James Gunn is expected to begin principal photography for Guardians of the Galaxy 3 in November 2021. Industrial Light & Magic’s Stage Craft virtual production technology will be used for some of the film. The movie is currently scheduled for release on May 5, 2023.