Abnett and Lanning’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” has a large ensemble (the team has about a dozen members, but rarely all at once). That said, even though they killed her, they clearly loved Phyla. She’s one of the main characters and spends more time on the page than, say, Gamora. So why was the latter chosen to be the symbolic guardian in the films?
Gunn has not said publicly how Phyla was left out of 2014’s “Guardians of the Galaxy,” or whether she was ever considered to appear. This could have been a simple matter of practicality; a cast of five is already enough to handle. Starting with eight Guardians like the comics did? That would have been too much to chew. As for the absence of Phyla in particular? Gamora has ties to Thanos and the “Infinity Gauntlet” saga, so for franchise-building purposes it made sense to introduce her. On the other hand, Phyla’s bond with Mar-Vell would be superfluous.
The films also don’t feature Moondragon (Drax’s daughter is really dead in the MCU), and that romance is key to Phyla’s character. Plus, let’s be honest: an openly queer woman leading a huge blockbuster in 2014? That would have pushed the boundaries too much for Disney.
Gunn would later claim on Twitter that it was his own idea to include Phyla in “Vol. 3”. Clearly, he recognized the film as his last chance to present a few version of the character. If Phyla-Vell is your favorite goalkeeper, it must have been motivating to see her get some recognition on the big screen. Will the MCU Phyla get closer to the comic book version in future films? We’ll have to wait and see.
The “Guardians of the Galaxy” films are broadcast on Disney+.
