While Chukwudi Iwuji's character in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is still being kept a secret, the actor has teased he'll be playing someone incredibly complicated.
Currently starring on James Gunn's Peacemaker for HBO Max and filming the third Guardians film, Iwuji spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about his superhero double-duty. Iwuji joined the upcoming Marvel Studios film in November 2021, but everyone involved has been suspiciously quiet about who exactly he's playing. When asked if he could offer some vague words to describe his character, Iwuji dropped some enticing tidbits.
"Powerful. (Laughs.) Extremely powerful. Complex," Iwuji said. "James and I were talking about it, but he’s certainly one of, if not the most complex characters we’ve seen in the freaking Marvel universe. So he’s deeply complex and deeply powerful, and I hope intriguing. I hope I bring that to it. (Laughs.)"
A month after Iwuji was announced as Guardians of the Galaxy 3's latest cast member, a rumor emerged that the big bad of the film would be the High Evolutionary. The character has long served as an antagonist for the Avengers, operating from his base at Mt. Wundagore and genetically experimenting on various animals to form monstrous new beings. He's also tied up with the origins of Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. But the rumor suggested the MCU's take on the villain would be responsible for Rocket's origin and be the one who experimented on the future Guardian. It's been long said that the third film in the franchise would dive into Rocket's backstory, so the rumor is certainly an intriguing one.
Not long after the rumor broke, another one surfaced claiming Iwuji would be playing the High Evolutionary, and the actor's comments certainly align with that character. He seems to be describing the film's primary antagonist, and Gunn recently confirmed that Iwuji is one of Guardians 3's main characters.
For now, little is known about the plot of the movie, but it's said to further explore Gamora, Nebula, and Mantis along with Rocket. Will Poulter will also be playing Adam Warlock, a character who could be friend or foe to the Guardians. But Warlock is also deeply tied to genetic experimentation, so an MCU spin on the High Evolutionary could unite all of these elements together. Hopefully, the first Guardians 3 trailer will arrive before the end of the year and offer some insight into the film and Iwuji's mysterious character.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 hits theaters May 5, 2023.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter