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Will Poulter and Chukwudi Iwuji are joining the MCU for “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” the last installment in the “Guardians” trilogy.
“Extra’s” Melvin Robert spoke with Will and Chukwudi to dish on their characters, Adam Warlock and the villainous High Evolutionary.
Will noted that it “meant the world” to be part of the franchise. He added, “I think when you take on characters that exist in, kind of, much-loved comic books, you know, and there is obviously a pre-established fandom that have big expectations and huge affection for the characters already. It’s a really wonderful thing. And then it’s even more special when you join a cast and crew as talented as this and they’re also lovely and the experience is really fun. You can’t really ask for much more.”
Chukwudi admitted that he was “nervous” to step into his role, but said his co-stars made it easy for him. He explained, “Like Will said, they’re really some of the most grounded A-listers I’ve ever come across, you know, and I think it’s because when they started their journey with it, this is what brought them into the light, in many ways, in the industry. So they understand the journey, they haven’t forgotten it. So they were very welcoming in general.”
As for what Will loves about his character Adam, he shared, “He’s trying to do right by his family, by his people.”
“He’s trying to live up to expectation and ultimately do the right thing, whatever shape or form that takes, you know. I think he’s in this kind of, sort of childlike phase, you know, in his evolution,” Poulter continued. “And I think he’s looking around him for pointers and for guidance and he’s looking to be kind, he’s looking for guardians, you know, for… a large period of the movie in one way or another. So, it was fun to play someone who is kind of on such a journey of, like, self-development, even in a short period of time and over a relatively kind of small arc.”
Chukwudi enjoyed playing the villain, saying, “I was a real baddie in the true and not apologizing for it, not looking for sympathy… If any understanding came, it came from the arc of the story and from the fact that you’re seeing such a broken person, you know, internally broken person, despite what I project outward… It was a joy to really revel in that, in this setting, in that costume, and that makeup.”
While noting it was “bittersweet” to be in the last “Guardians of the Galaxy” movie, Iwuji commented, “It was beautiful to see them, like, put everything into it. I think the performances of the crew, of the group is the strongest… in the whole trilogy. They’re really going — it’s in the story, it’s in the writing, it’s going deeper into all their proclivities. But seeing their performances was just, like, inspirational every day to come to set to see that.”
Will and Chukwudi also revealed some of their favorite moments on set!
Poulter’s favorite moment was a scene with himself, Iwuji and Elizabeth [Debicki]. He elaborated, “I was in a kind of, you know, observational role more than anything else. It was this kind of typically ‘Guardian’s moment where it was a blend of malevolence and good against evil as well as it was, you know, kind of full of humor and, and it kind of typified what I think has made the movie so successful.”
Chukwudi recalled a day when they filmed in the High Evolutionary’s lair, which reminded him of a scene from a James Bond movie. Of the scene with Chris Pratt, he said, “I remember just looking around and knowing this was going to be in slow motion and knowing that this is what they’re going to end. It’s just the realization that, ‘Oh, my God, we’re doing, you know, we’re doing this. I’m not watching it. We’re actually doing it and be part of it.’”
“That day was so beautiful because the music was playing, Alice Smith was rocking on the speaker, and Chris is walking in and there’s all these stormtroopers everywhere,” Iwuji added.
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” is in theaters May 5.