"Not showing up in our stories": The absence of Adam Warlock in Avengers 4 explained
Joe Russo explains why comic book favourite, Adam Warlock, is conspicuously absent from Avengers 4, highlighting the focus on continuing original stories within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Updated : October 20, 2023 05:24 PM ISTJoe Russo explains why comic book favourite, Adam Warlock, is conspicuously absent from Avengers 4, highlighting the focus on continuing original stories within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
"Not Showing Up in Our Stories": The Mystery of Adam Warlock's Absence in Avengers 4 Unveiled
Comic book enthusiasts were left disappointed as Adam Warlock, a fan-favourite character, didn't swoop in to save the day in Avengers 4, as many anticipated. This surprising deviation from The Infinity Gauntlet comic book storyline, which heavily influenced Infinity War, raised many eyebrows.
Adapting the Marvel Universe, Not Just the Comics
In a conversation with Mashable, Joe Russo, one of the directors of the Avengers franchise, was candid about their decision to leave Warlock out of their narrative. "Yeah [he]'s not showing up in our stories," he stated, "our job as we said a million times is to tell the story of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, not to do direct adaptations of the comics because we're comic book fans."
"I have no interest as a director in telling a story that's already been told or in seeing one that's already been told," Russo added. By maintaining this stance, Russo and his team have aimed to keep the plot of the Marvel films fresh and surprising, continuing the storyline that began with Iron Man.
"A James Gunn Thing": The Destiny of Adam Warlock
Russo further explained that Adam Warlock was more "a James Gunn thing," earmarked for the Guardians of the Galaxy films, as opposed to being part of the Avengers' universe. This is consistent with Warlock's introduction in the post-credits scene of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, directed by James Gunn.
Russo reiterated, "We never intended to put Adam Warlock in Infinity War," despite fan theories that Warlock might be the key to the Soul Stone. "We have so many heroes we have to service that you guys love and give them screen-time.”
It appears that Adam Warlock's debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe will likely be part of the untitled Guardians of the Galaxy sequel, due in 2020. As for Russo's Avengers, they continue to surprise and delight fans by charting a distinct, unexpected course within the Marvel Universe.
(Several parts of the text in this article, including the title, were generated with the help of an AI tool.)