James Gunn, director of Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy, reveals why he excluded Nova from the movie series. Released in 2014, the franchise starred Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Star-Lord, Zoe Saldaña as Gamora, Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer, Bradley Cooper as Rocket Raccoon, and Vin Diesel as Groot.
The Guardians of the Galaxy started as a story separate from the usual Marvel landscape, with most of the scenes taking place in outer space. As the story progressed, these characters became essential parts of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Now, with an upcoming third film and a holiday special, the franchise became one of the most well-loved MCU narratives.
Aside from the ensemble cast, Gunn also added a few minor characters, such as Nebula (Karen Gillan), Mantis (Pom Klementieff), and Yondu (Michael Rooker). These names have become integral members of the plot, and with new characters bound for the next installment, there is but one name that fans may have been waiting for but might never get to meet.
James Gunn Reveals Why Nova Was Not In The Guardians Of The Galaxy
In his interview with Phase Zero Podcast, James Gunn tells fans why he chose not to include Nova, also known as Richard Rider:
“I never had Richard Rider in anything. He’s just too big of a character and he seemed too… I didn’t want to… From the beginning, when I came on board Guardians, I didn’t want to have two human beings. I wanted to have one human being so that he could be surrounded in this world of aliens. And then we realized little by little, that all of these characters are the only of their kind, they’re the only human being to them, you know?”
Rider was a New York student tasked to replace Rhomann Dey in Xandar’s Nova Corps. He was given the powers of a Nova Centurion, which included superhuman strength, enhanced physical tolerance, and flight. The character never existed in the Nova Corps despite meeting the Guardians. He would have been a great addition to the cast.
Will Fans Ever Meet Nova In The Future?
Since James Gunn mentioned that Nova’s character would be “too big” to fit his narrative in the already complicated world of GOTG, it also makes sense to only have one human in the story. The ensemble team comprises members hailing from different worlds, each with a culture and tradition to lay on the table. This brings more sense and harmony to the connection they have built over time.
The director also noted that there were a billion versions of the Guardians before he landed the job.
“There were a billion versions of Guardians before I came aboard… Yes, I guess maybe some script had Richard Rider in it, but like, there’s a lot of different versions.”
While Nova was never in the drafts of the movie, there will always be possibilities of a hint in the form of Easter eggs. Fans may have to keep their eyes peeled for that in the upcoming third installment or the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special this November 25 on Disney+.
Source: The Direct
