Will Poulter will take on the role of Adam Warlock in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.Deadline reports a search led by director James Gunn and Marvel Studios began at the end of August, with Poulter's screen tests ultimately winning them over. The character of Adam Warlock was referenced in a post-credits scene of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 when Elizabeth Debick's Ayesha unveiled a cocoon with Warlock's body presumably inside it.James Gunn typically shoots down any casting speculation when rumors and reports start to surface on one of his many film projects. However, the Guardians directed responded to Poulter news by confirming the reports and welcoming the actor to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. "As you guys know I often strike down false rumors, so… um… Welcome to the Guardians family, Will Poulter," Gunn tweeted. "He's an amazing actor and wonderful guy. See you in a couple weeks. #AdamWarlock #GotGVol3"
The director previously debunked an Adam Warlock casting report in March, stating, "There is no casting underway for Vol. 3. And in what world would I only cast a 'Caucasian' if the character has gold skin? And if I wanted a Zac Efron type wouldn't I go to Zac Efron? Where do you get this nonsense? Adam Warlock was originally intended to debut in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 but was cut during the early treatment of the sequel.
Adam Warlock was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, debuting in 1967's Fantastic Four #66-67 as a character named "Him." Roy Thomas and Gil Kane later reintroduced Adam Warlock in 1972's Marvel Premiere #1, with possibly his most popular iteration coming from Jim Starlin in 1991's Infinity Gauntlet. The cosmic Marvel event was an influence on Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, as Thanos took possession of the Infinity Stones and wiped out half of life in the universe.
Updates on the third film in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise have slowly begun to roll in. First, James Gunn teased more deaths to come in GOTG Vol. 3 when asked how the MCU film compared to The Suicide Squad. "Guardians of the Galaxy has a family film element to it, so I'm telling that story to a lot of different people," Gunn said. "When Rocket says to Drax, 'I'm gonna shoot you in the face and kill you,' we don't as an audience think in two seconds he's going to pull out his gun and we're going to see Drax’s face disappear. In this movie, The Suicide Squad, they say they're going to shoot each other in the face, and they not only say it, they actually do it. We know that can happen at any time."
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 arrives in theaters May 5, 2023.
Source:Â Deadline