The first three phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) are now considered classics, especially the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy films, as well as the Captain America movies. The Infinity Saga still remains unmatched, and unfortunately, current trends suggest that, despite the hype around Secret Wars, the finale of the Multiverse Saga may not reach the same level. Zoë Saldaña, however, feels there were issues even in the first three phases: she’s not satisfied with how her character, Gamora’s, story played out. In fact, she would even reshoot Infinity War and Endgame, at least her own scenes.
Saldaña spoke to Variety on the topic. While she doesn’t have any hard feelings towards the Russo brothers’ films, she does feel some corrections are needed in regard to Gamora’s arc, and she primarily blames herself.
“I wish I could go back in time and reshoot everything that Gamora went through in the last two Avengers films. I didn’t fully understand what the Russo brothers were doing. They’re great filmmakers, and I was given one of the greatest opportunities of my life by them. I’ll always be grateful that Gamora was made such a key character, as we saw in their films. That’s why I wish I could go back and reshoot it, to push it a bit further because it was such a huge opportunity to play a girl with father issues, struggling with whether there was a chance for reconciliation or if she should just walk away. It would have been a great opportunity if I had realized this a little more.”
One of the crucial elements of Infinity War is seeing that Thanos, the mad villain, actually has emotional ties to someone—Gamora, whom he took in as a child and treated like his own. Despite Gamora turning against him, Thanos loved her until the end, but when it came to obtaining the Soul Stone, he had to make a devastating choice: he chose what he believed was the "greater good" and sacrificed his adopted daughter for the success of his mission. He did this because the Soul Stone required the sacrifice of someone he truly loved. This was a significant dramatic moment, adding depth to both the villain and Gamora’s character. The question is whether their relationship could have been explored further, or if that would have disrupted the perfect pacing of Infinity War and Endgame. Most likely, it’s the latter. But do you think Gamora and Thanos’ relationship could have been better developed?
The actress also expressed how proud she is to have been part of the Marvel films:
“We don’t usually put ‘deep’ and ‘Marvel’ in the same sentence, but I love that pairing, and I’m really proud to have been part of such great films that are aimed at younger audiences and inspire them. What James Gunn achieved is very special. We got to play outcast characters with a lot of childhood trauma, disabilities, and mental issues. He gave them the chance to experience love and even a sense of family within the bond of friendship. Looking back, Guardians of the Galaxy is a really important film.”
Saldaña isn’t sure if she would return for another Marvel movie after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. She said she’d rather give another, younger actor the opportunity to create their own version of Gamora. We’ll see what the future holds! What’s certain is that the Guardians are still around, as Rocket and the team embarked on a new mission in the post-credits scene of last year’s hit, and we also know we haven’t seen the last of Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord either.
