10 MCU Characters Missing From Marvel's Phase 4 (And Why)
7. The Guardians Of The Galaxy
At the end of Avengers: Endgame, Thor decided to set off into outer space alongside the (As)Guardians of the Galaxy. However, it doesn't sound like there are plans for the team to appear in Thor: Love and Thunder, and chances are the God of Thunder won't be seen in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 either.
The screenplay for the latter was completed quite some time ago, and as soon as James Gunn has finished working on The Suicide Squad, he'll return to Marvel Studios for the threequel. He's previously made it clear that Vol. 3 is being envisioned as a finale of sorts for this group, while Love and Thunder is busy enough as it is without throwing the likes of Star-Lord and Rocket Racoon into the mix.
It's hardly a surprise that Thor probably calls it quits with the Guardians after butting heads with Peter Quill, and the team being off limits for other filmmakers while Gunn is busy in the DC Extended Universe seems like the smartest possible move on Marvel's part.
Outside of the introduction of S.W.O.R.D. in WandaVision, Marvel's Phase 4 slate is very much moving away from cosmic stories in order to further the stories of the heroes on Earth and to put the focus on the Multiverse first teased back in Doctor Strange.