A new set photo from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has surfaced online, possibly hinting at a major Marvel villain joining the Guardians sequel: the High Evolutionary.
In the comics, the High Evolutionary was a scientist whose interest in genetic manipulation led him to create an “evolved” superhuman form for himself and whose ongoing goal is to create the perfect human evolution via his experimentation on animals and human beings. He also had a major impact on Adam Warlock, who will be played by Will Poulter in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, gifting him the Soul Stone and the name “Warlock.”
The new image from the set of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 does not reveal the High Evolutionary directly, but does show an artist’s depiction of a menacing red face that bears a resemblance to the Marvel villain. Check out the image below:
As Twitter user “MaximilanMarvel” points out, the style of this graffiti and the alien language featured appear to resemble comic-book depictions of Counter-Earth – a world ruled by the High Evolutionary in the comics. It is populated by his human/animal experiments and previously featured in the 1990s animated series, Spider-Man Unlimited. Previous Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 set photos revealed actors in animal-inspired prosthetics, possibly hinting at Counter-Earth’s inclusion in the film.
It has also been noted that the artwork bears some resemblance to actor Chukwudi Iwuji. Director James Gunn has previously confirmed Iwuji will be appearing in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, though his role has not yet been confirmed. However, rumors had been circulating amongst fans that the Peacemaker actor would be playing the High Evolutionary. This set photo seems to lend further credibility to that speculation.
Before James Gunn’s sequel, the Guardians of the Galaxy will appear in Thor: Love and Thunder. Here is the upcoming film’s synopsis:
The film finds Thor (Chris Hemsworth) on a journey unlike anything he’s ever faced – a quest for inner peace. But his retirement is interrupted by a galactic killer known as Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), who seeks the extinction of the gods. To combat the threat, Thor enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Taika Waititi) and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who – to Thor’s surprise – inexplicably wields his magical hammer, Mjolnir, as the Mighty Thor. Together, they embark upon a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance and stop him before it’s too late.
Directed by Taika Waititi and produced by Kevin Feige and Brad Winderbaum, the film stars Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Vin Diesel, Pom Klementieff, Sean Gunn, and Russell Crowe.
Thor: Love and Thunder hits theaters on July 8, 2022, while James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is scheduled for May 5, 2023. Stay tuned for all the latest news on the Guardians sequel, and subscribe to Heroic Hollywood’s YouTube channel for more original video content.
Source: The Cosmic Circus
