Marvel Movie Nooz: Avengers 4 Going into Post While Dave Bautista May Not Return for Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3

Avengers 4 (working title)

While speaking with Deadline about the new kidnapping drama for Dhaka starring Chris Hemsworth that he wrote with his brother, Anthony, Joe Russo revealed that the highly-anticipated sequel to Avengers: Infinity War is nearing the end of the editing process, with post-production beginning in the fall.

We hope to be done by March. It was so gratifying that in a movie with this scope and scale and that wide of an audience, that we were able to end with a gut punch and yet the audience stayed with us and found value and kept coming back. … The audience is so invested in these characters that they’re willing to stick with them even through the hard stuff. It has been out great pleasure as storytellers to take them through that hard stuff and have it be a cathartic and even entertaining experience at times.

Avengers 4 is slated for a May 3, 2018 release.

Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3.

The future of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise is unknown at the moment and it has nothing to do with the numerous dusting deaths at the end of Avengers: Infinity War that decimated the team. It seemed as if Guardians 3 would be moving forward in the wake of the firing of James Gunn for “offensive attitudes and statements” made years ago on social media, but the movie was put “on a temporary hold” last week with Disney and Marvel letting go all but a score of crew members without comment.

The cast came together and issued a formal letter of support of Gunn, but at least one key member has been soured on the entire experience of working with Disney because of Gunn’s firing. In an interview on The Jonathan Ross show, Dave Bautista said that he might not return as Drax.

It’s a bittersweet conversation. No, it’s a bitter, bitter conversation, because I’m not really happy with what they’ve done with James Gunn. They’re putting the movie off. It’s on hold indefinitely. And, to be honest with you, I don’t know if I want to work for Disney. … I’ve been very vocal about the way I feel. I’m not afraid to admit the way I feel.

Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 was initially slated for a 2020 release date. Its current status is unknown.