Karen Gillan Addresses Whether She Will Return To The MCU As Nebula Following The Guardians of The Galaxy Trilogy

Two years after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 seemingly brought her story to its end, actress Karen Gillan opened up about whether audiences can expect to see her return as Nebula. Though she was introduced as Thanos’ adoptive daughter and lackey, she underwent a nearly decade-long redemption arc that made her a favorite among Marvel Cinematic Universe fans. However, the character’s future seems up in the air following her fairly conclusive storyline in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Nebula has found a new family among the Guardians, and she’s managed to smile again after years of abuse.

As a result, it’s hard to imagine where a new story could take her, especially because she was not shown with Rocket Raccoon’s new Guardians at the end of the trilogy. Additionally, Gillan is not on the cast list for Avengers: Doomsday. Recently, the actress revealed whether or not she would be in for another MCU adventure, stating: “It’s so much fun working in the Marvel world… in terms of the future, can’t say anything. You know how it goes, but maybe… never say, never.“

Though it’s been a while since she last discussed her Marvel future, Gillan previously seemed open to playing Nebula again. During press for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the actress joked about setting a rom-com in the MCU featuring Nebula and Peter Quill/Star-Lord. On a more serious note, she also noted the potential for a prequel surrounding her character, adding: “I think Nebula has a really interesting backstory, so that would be really cool to learn more about.“

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These comments, however, were made over two years ago. No further live-action projects including Nebula have been announced, but the full cast list for Avengers: Doomsday has not been confirmed, meaning there may still be a spot for Nebula. Even if she does not appear there, she and other Guardians of the Galaxy characters may show up in its sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars.

Gillan doesn’t have anything lined up with Marvel, but that doesn’t mean we’ve seen the end of Nebula. Moreover, the actress could be keeping silent due to a non-disclosure agreement. It’s commonplace for the MCU to keep surprise stars under wraps, so she could have either a cameo or a role in Avengers: Doomsday that just isn’t public knowledge yet.

Regardless, Gillan is a favorite both in the MCU and elsewhere, such as the Doctor Who and Jumanji franchises. Nebula’s story may be largely complete, but it would be a waste of both the character and the actress if she never appears again.

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