Marvel fans have been waiting. And not in a casual “oh, it’ll happen eventually” kind of way. This has been the kind of waiting that makes people refresh their feeds like it’s a full-time job.
Ever since the MCU closed the book on the Guardians of the Galaxy era as we’ve known it, one question has stayed at the center of the conversation: when does Chris Pratt actually come back?
Because Star-Lord isn’t just another Marvel character, he became one of the most recognizable faces in the entire franchise, and for better or worse, he helped define the MCU’s modern personality.
Now, after a long stretch of silence, we finally got an update.
And of course, it’s the kind of update that’s already splitting the fandom.
How Chris Pratt Turned Star-Lord Into a Marvel Staple
When Chris Pratt first showed up as Peter Quill in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Marvel was taking a huge gamble. The Guardians weren’t exactly a mainstream team, and the movie leaned hard into comedy at a time when the MCU still played things relatively safe.
But the risk paid off fast.
Pratt’s Star-Lord gave Marvel a different kind of leading man. He wasn’t polished or noble. He was messy, sarcastic, and somehow still lovable, even when he made questionable decisions. That mix turned him into the glue of the Guardians, and the franchise became one of Marvel’s biggest crowd-pleasers.
Over time, Quill stopped feeling like a side character and started feeling essential.
The Controversy That Could Have Changed Everything
But Chris Pratt’s MCU run hasn’t been entirely smooth.
Over the years, he’s faced online criticism for various reasons, including speculation about his personal beliefs and the people he associates with. Whether those criticisms are fair depends on who you ask, but the bigger issue is that the controversy became loud enough to follow him wherever he went.
And in today’s entertainment world, studios don’t ignore that kind of noise.
At the same time, plenty of fans have always defended him. To them, he is Star-Lord. They see him as one of the funniest and most iconic characters Marvel ever cast, and they don’t think anyone else could pull off the role the same way.
So even if some people want Marvel to move on, others still want him back immediately.
Doomsday Is Coming, But Star-Lord Still Isn’t in the Picture
That’s why the upcoming Avengers era has made fans nervous.
Marvel is building toward Avengers: Doomsday (2026), and the film already feels like it’s going to be a significant turning point for the entire franchise. But despite the hype and the cast announcements, Star-Lord remains absent from the conversation.
Pratt’s last MCU appearance came in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023), which ended with a straightforward promise: “Star-Lord will return.”
Marvel didn’t leave that open-ended. They practically guaranteed it.
Pratt has also expressed interest in coming back and has hinted that he’s pitched ideas to Marvel about how Quill could fit into future ensemble stories. But when Marvel began confirming names tied to Doomsday, Pratt didn’t show up on the roster.
And that made fans wonder if the “return” was being quietly delayed.
Chris Pratt Finally Gave Fans Something Concrete
Now, though, Pratt has finally addressed the situation in a way that feels more definitive.
While promoting his film Mercy (2026), he spoke with Extra TV and confirmed that Marvel still plans to follow through on that promise.
Pratt said:
“I can tell you it will happen…All I can say is that at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023), they made a promise that the legendary Star-Lord will return. And I just know the folks down at Marvel, they always make good on their promises. I can’t tell you when that’s going to be, but I can tell you it will happen.”
It’s not a release date or an announcement, but it’s still a real confirmation. Marvel hasn’t forgotten Quill.
They’re just not ready to say when.
Secret Wars Might Be the Real Comeback Moment
With Marvel’s upcoming schedule, there are two obvious projects where Star-Lord could return: Avengers: Doomsday (2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027).
Both movies are expected to be massive crossover events in which the Multiverse begins to collapse, forcing heroes from all corners of Marvel’s world to step up. In a story that big, leaving Quill out would feel strange.
In late 2025, insider Alex Perez from Cosmic Circus claimed Star-Lord was “supposed to be involved” in Doomsday, though he also sounded unsure about how firm those plans were.
Marvel also didn’t include Pratt in its cast livestream announcement, which could mean Quill has a more minor role—or that Marvel plans to save him as a surprise reveal.
Why Star-Lord Could Matter More Than Anyone Expects
If Quill does appear in Avengers: Doomsday, he could easily show up as part of a supporting team helping Earth-based heroes survive whatever Doctor Doom throws at them. At the same time, other Avengers deal with multiversal threats.
But Secret Wars feels like the bigger opportunity.
If Marvel uses the rumored Battleworld storyline, where Doom creates his own universe and rules it, Star-Lord could fit naturally into that chaos. He’s survived impossible situations before, and he has the personality to lead a resistance without feeling like a traditional superhero commander.
That also wouldn’t come out of nowhere. In Jonathan Hickman’s 2015 Secret Wars comic event, Quill played a significant role and became one of the survivors who woke up on Battleworld.
Marvel could easily use that blueprint to give him a fresh story after the Guardians trilogy.
Marvel Is Keeping the Door Open on Purpose
Chris Pratt’s comments should reassure fans who feared Marvel quietly dropped the character. But they also raise the bigger question: why is Marvel still holding him back?
Maybe Marvel wants a surprise moment. Maybe the studio still hasn’t decided where Quill fits in this new era. Or perhaps the controversy surrounding Pratt has made them more careful about timing.
Either way, Marvel made a promise, and Pratt just confirmed it still stands.
Now fans just have to wait and see whether Star-Lord returns in Doomsday, Secret Wars, or somewhere no one expects.
