Guardians Of The Galaxy 3 Is Already Continuing One Huge Phase 4 Trend

Like many other MCU Phase 4 projects, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 set photos revealed that Star-Lord’s costume will be more comic-accurate.

Continuing one MCU Phase 4 trend, set photos revealed that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will feature more comic-accurate costumes. In earlier MCU movies, costumes had to be altered during their transfer from comic books to live-action for various reasons. Some changes were practical, such as removing Hawkeye’s mask or toning down the wings on Captain America’s helmet. Other alterations were stylistic. To fit the MCU’s early, more grounded themes, many costumes had to be darker and more tactical. Hawkeye even made a joke out of this trend by pointing out that Hawkeye’s early black costume was strategic, but did not make him stand out as a superhero.

However, MCU Phase 4 has been changing this style, giving characters costumes that better match their comic book counterparts. In Hawkeye, both Clint Barton and Kate Bishop wore variations of Hawkeye’s signature purple costume. Throughout her time in the MCU, Wanda Maximoff’s style has slowly come closer to the comic book design. As Wanda finally took up the mantle of Scarlet Witch in WandaVision, she also donned her full cape and iconic headpiece for the first time. Most recently, Moon Knight included two costumes, one for Moon Knight and one for Mr. Knight, that were both comic-accurate and fit the series’ story.

Based on recent set photos, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be joining this trend. Although little is currently known about the plot of the third Guardians of the Galaxy movie, behind-the-scenes pictures have revealed what some of the characters and costumes will look like. In the set photos, Star-Lord wore his signature red and blue suit with the ravager emblem on the chest. Still working with the Guardians, Nebula was dressed to match in another photo. Although the Guardians of the Galaxy already had a distinct look in their previous MCU appearances, this updated style both honors the Guardians’ source material and shows how the MCU has changed as a whole.

While there have been many iterations of Star-Lord in Marvel Comics, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’s costume design was inspired by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning’s run. Abnett and Lanning’s designs were chosen because their version of the Guardians had the most direct influence on the characters in the original Guardians of the Galaxy movie. Following the Guardians of the Galaxy’s adventures soon after their formation, these comics included Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, and Groot. However, Abnett and Lanning also included Mantis as a founding member along with Adam Warlock, Quasar, and the telepathic dog named Cosmo, possibly foretelling how the team could grow in the future. By adapting these costume designs to live-action, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will pay homage to the comics that inspired its characters.

In addition, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’s updated costumes reflect how the MCU has changed. While brightly colored suits might have seemed outlandish when the MCU first began, they have grown more realistic over the years. From a film series that started with an engineer in a suit, the MCU has expanded to include aliens, witches, interdimensional beings, and gods from multiple cultures. Amid characters and threats such as these, a superhero in a colorful costume would seem fairly reasonable. Due to this, the MCU can make characters’ outfits increasingly similar to their comic book origins in Phase 4, including in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.