‘Jumanji: Open World’ Star Karen Gillan Teases Nebula’s MCU Future: She’s Been Talking To Marvel, but She’s Not Saying Why

Karen Gillan has spent more than a decade under the blue makeup as Nebula, and the question of whether the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ favorite will return to the MCU keeps coming up. Gillan debuted as Nebula, one of the daughters of Thanos, in 2014’s ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’. She went on to play the character in 6 MCU films, most recently 2023’s ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’.

That film gave the team a happy ending, though many of them went their separate ways. Nebula and Dave Bautista’s Drax stayed on Knowhere to look after the children the Guardians rescued from the High Evolutionary. Since then, Gillan has stayed coy about her future, telling The Hollywood Reporter at one point that she couldn’t say anything but fans should watch this space.

Now she has given her most revealing answer yet. While promoting her new pregnancy comedy ‘Let’s Have Kids’, Gillan was asked whether she still talks with Marvel about the character. “Maybe… I have Marvel snipers on me. I have definitely spoken to them,” Gillan told The Direct.

Before fans get too excited, Gillan made sure to leave some wiggle room. “Whether or not that was about making another appearance or not is a different story,” she added, joking that she couldn’t give away any spoilers.

Even so, her answer marks a clear change in tone. Gillan had previously taken a never-say-never stance on returning, and openly confirming that she’s been in contact with Marvel is her most transparent comment since ‘Guardians 3’. It’s also the closest she has come to hinting that Nebula’s story might not be over.

Get ready for one last ride. Watch the brand-new trailer for Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, written and directed by @JamesGunn. Only in theaters May 5. #GotGVol3 https://t.co/om9djRFKQ1

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) February 12, 2023

The future of the whole team remains uncertain. The ‘Guardians 3’ end credits promised that the Legendary Star-Lord will return, but the same wasn’t said for the rest of the team. So far, none of the Guardians, including Chris Pratt, have been confirmed for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’.

That absence hasn’t gone unnoticed. Gillan’s name didn’t appear on any of the chairs during Marvel’s lengthy ‘Doomsday’ cast announcement livestream, and Pratt joked about not having a chair of his own. Still, Marvel Studios is reportedly keen to bring back as many familiar characters as possible, which keeps the door open for surprise appearances.

Gillan hasn’t fully stepped away from the role, either. She was the last of the main Guardians team to reprise her character after ‘Vol. 3’, voicing Nebula in several episodes of ‘What If…?’. Her ongoing connection to the character makes a live-action return feel less far-fetched than it might for some of her co-stars.

Part of what makes fans so attached to Nebula is how much she has grown. She started as an antagonist and became a welcome member of the Guardians, as well as Gamora’s beloved sister. Her bond with Tony Stark while stranded in space in ‘Avengers: Endgame’ also became a fan-favorite part of her arc.

New trailer for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ In theaters December 18 https://t.co/1wsiTk1Nnv

— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) August 15, 2026

Gillan has always been open about her love for the character. Back in 2021, she said she wasn’t ready to move on from Nebula and wanted to keep exploring how the character changes beyond ‘Guardians 3’.

With ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ arriving in theaters on December 18 and ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ following on December 17, 2027, there are still big opportunities ahead for familiar faces to return. Whether Nebula is among them remains Marvel’s secret for now, but Gillan’s latest comments suggest the conversation is very much alive.

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