Before James Gunn became the co-head of DC Studios, he helmed a trilogy of successful Guardians of the Galaxy films for Marvel Studios, developing a very close bond with the cast. Because of that history, movie fans have been curious to see which Guardians actors will follow Gunn to the DC Universe. Superman reunited the filmmaker with some of his old Marvel stars (most notably Bradley Cooper as Jor-El), but there are several others who would make great additions to the new franchise. One name that keeps popping up is Chris Pratt, who Gunn has referred to as “one of my best friends.” Pratt remains in close contact with Gunn, and they’ve even talked about DC.
During an appearance on the podcast Happy Sad Confused, Pratt addressed where things stand between him and Gunn regarding the DCU. “No, no … I always try to lead with mystery because I think it would be amazing to be able to do it, but if I’m being honest, no I don’t think so,” Pratt said when asked if there’s a specific character he and Gunn have talked about. “I think there’s some that I think I can play, and he probably feels the same way, but there’s nothing. I’d like to be mysterious and lead people on a little bit, but in all honesty, I don’t know what that character would be. I would love to work with him again though.”
Pratt then detailed the one DC conversation he had with Gunn that made the director laugh. “I sent a picture of myself with a Batman mask on to James,” he said. “I did it in Photoshop. And he just said, ‘Haha.’ So, safe to say that I’m not gonna be Batman.” Pratt went on to say he isn’t even sure how he would portray Batman since there have been so many previous iterations he would be compared to.
James Gunn Wants Chris Pratt to Join the DCU
Though Gunn clearly can’t see Pratt as the next big-screen Batman, he remains hopeful he’ll be able to reunite with his old Guardians of the Galaxy leading man at some point. It boils down to timing and finding the right role for Pratt. At first glance, most fans probably envision Pratt playing a comedic character a la Star-Lord, but he’s also demonstrated strong action and dramatic chops in his career (including in the Guardians movies, for what it’s worth). After playing Star-Lord for so long, Pratt could welcome the challenge of tackling a different kind of character, showcasing another side of his range. Gunn wants the DCU to emulate the comics by experimenting with a variety of tones and styles, so there could be an opportunity for Pratt to do something new.
Before Pratt ever joins the DCU, he may have to finish fulfilling whatever Marvel obligations he has left. The post-credits scene in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 promised that Star-Lord will return, though it hasn’t been confirmed when that will happen. By now, there have been plenty of actors who have starred in Marvel and DC adaptations, but it’s rare for those stars to be involved with both simultaneously. Unless Pratt takes on a one-and-done role at DC, the hope will likely be for his character to be a recurring presence in the shared universe. That might be hard to pull off if he’s still on call at the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Though he seemingly still has some work to do as Star-Lord, it’s easy to see why Pratt is taking an interest in joining the DCU. Beyond his friendship with Gunn, he could be on the hunt for something to replace an eventual Marvel void. While anything can happen, the odds of Star-Lord being part of the MCU’s long-term future are arguably low. The Guardians of the Galaxy story is now complete, and Avengers: Secret Wars is being positioned as a soft reset of the franchise. Pratt might appear in one of the upcoming Avengers films for a send-off before Marvel turns the page and leans on other characters to carry the franchise forward. Pratt is no longer part of the Jurassic World series, so he’s looking for a tentpole blockbuster role he can fall back on.
Over the past decade plus, Pratt has tried to build off his Guardians of the Galaxy stardom by headlining a variety of high-profile genre projects, but many of these haven’t panned out the way one would hope. His latest film, the sci-fi thriller Mercy, continued an unfortunate Rotten Tomatoes trend for the actor; it’s another non-Marvel live-action movie to earn a rotten critics score. Contrastly, Pratt’s Marvel efforts have received acclaim, and a few of those obviously involved Gunn behind the scenes. Reteaming with Gunn could be a way for Pratt to launch a new phase of his career.
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