Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 star Pom Klementieff revealed she yearned to play a tougher yet more emotional version of Mantis than her comic book counterpart, adding more agency and relatability to the character.
During Vol. 3's Global Press Conference, which was attended by CBR, Klementieff spoke to her castmate and the presser's host, Nathan Fillion, about how much the live-action Mantis differs from the comic book version. The Quebec-born actor responded to Fillion's quip claiming she "took a character that wasn't a favorite character in the comic books, Mantis, making her an incredibly popular character, the glue that keeps everyone together." Klementieff agreed, insisting she wanted to make Mantis different from the other female superheroes. "I think it was so interesting to give a different version of Mantis, you know? I mean, in the comic books, she was great, too. She was, like, very powerful. But kinda similar to a lot of other female characters in the Marvel universe or in other superhero movies." she said "So, I think it was, like, so interesting to give a different take on a female character and make it, you know, give more comedy and more awkwardness and something different, you know?"
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 director James Gunn agreed with Klementieff's sentiments, claiming the best aspect of the live-action Mantis is showing her emotions. Additionally, Gunn praised Mantis' power, reminding everyone how she nearly took out Thanos during Avengers: Infinity War. "I think it's also cool to have somebody who is, their superpower is empathy. It is feelings. Emotions are so important to Mantis. And we're so used to this very sort of, you know, male hardcore, macho, like, shooting rays out of, you know, their arms. And, you know, lifting cars and throwing automobiles and shooting people," he said. "And she comes in with emotions and is equally or if not more powerful. She was the one that almost took down Thanos, you know?"
Klementieff has been a mainstay in the MCU since her debut as Mantis in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise during 2017's Vol. 2. The insectoid alien and half-sister of Peter Quill/Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) also featured in the most recent Avengers film, Endgame, and Thor: Love and Thunder. The acclaimed actor enjoys showing her character's fiercest attributes on-screen. "People always say, 'Oh, yeah, badass female characters.' I love that. And I love playing that and I love watching that," she said. "But this is different and this is interesting, you know? And we need diversity."
The Last Guardians of the Galaxy Movie
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is the highest-anticipated 2023 film and the final film in the series. The threequel sees Mantis and the titular supergroup tackle their toughest mission yet after adjusting to living on Knowhere, facing a potentially devastating fate after something from Rocket's (Bradley Cooper) past comes back to haunt him. Failure to successfully complete the mission could result in the group's dissolution, with the emotional stakes in Vol. 3 considerably higher than its predecessors. The film also sees Klementieff star alongside Zoe Saldana (Gamora), Dave Bautista (Drax the Destroyer), Vin Diesel (Groot) and Karen Gillan (Nebula).
While the future of the Guardians in the MCU is up in the air due to the events in Vol. 3, Gunn previously expressed his hope that its surviving characters will land a new Guardians of the Galaxy movie or another Marvel project. Whether Klementieff will reprise her role as Mantis in future MCU features is up in the air after recent reports emerged she is contemplating joining Gunn's rebuilt DC Universe. Klementieff has been linked to the DCU along with co-stars Pratt and Bautista, with Bautista announcing his departure from the MCU in January.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 opens in theaters on May 5.
Source: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Global Press Conference