MCU Phase 4: Which Characters Will Return After Avengers: Endgame?

20. Drax

Status: Alive

Drax now has peace, not only because James Gunn is back directing Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 3 (and Dave Bautista can stop fighting Disney on Twitter) but because Thanos is dead and his family has been avenged. That fact made him a little expendable in Endgame, to be honest, but he made it through.

Next Up: Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 3

As was made very publicly clear when Gunn was fired, Bautista is contractually obligated to return for Vol 3. In fact, his open tweeting about it confirmed that he wouldn't be killed in Endgame and would be returning (and also that he really likes Gunn's story). Hopefully, that means Drax will have more to do, in story terms than offering muscular comic relief.

Don't put it past Gunn to reward Bautista's loyalty by killing him so he can go and continue to star in huge film franchises outside of Marvel.

19. Mantis

Status: Alive

The walking, talking mood ring made it through the second Snappening (and someone through the second Battle Of New York, despite having limited obvious fighting prowess - perhaps she turned some of Thanos' army into emos who simply couldn't function around her?). She'll be back.

Next Up: Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 3

Mantis' powers are great and they will probably play a very key role in Adam Warlock's story development in Vol 3. If he's going to follow a close trajectory to the comics, he's going to be going through some STUFF, and Mantis helping him pick apart who he's actually mad at will be very useful.

She's a little bit of a side character right now, but James Gunn writes great characters so we can be confident she'll get her moment when she's back in Vol 3.