There is no doubt James Gunn likes to have fun when he’s making films and it resonates with the fans because it’s just as fun for them. When Drax has to be held back by Mantis as they walk down Hollywood Boulevard in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, it’s what he had to be held back from that surprised MCU fans.
Drax played by Dave Bautista and Mantis played by Pom Klementieff are on a mission to Earth to kidnap Kevin Bacon as a Christmas gift for Peter Quill. Hence, they are in Hollywood looking for the famous actor when they come upon a Gobot, which Drax has a tragic history with since one killed his cousin. Of course, it’s not a real Gobot. It’s just a guy in a suit in front of the Chinese Theatres just like all the other fictional characters who are there to take pictures with fans and make money.
However, the inclusion of the Gobot in the Marvel holiday special is a big deal because that brings the Hasbro transformers into the Marvel Universe, which on any other day would seem problematic. Fans who know what’s going on with who is who and what is what in the huge ever-growing world of toys and movies were scratching their heads wondering how Gunn made it happen.
For him, he makes it seem like a breeze. Just another day at the office. It’s as if alternative worlds collided and Gunn was in the middle sipping a cup of coffee and reading the paper.
Of course, the joke went a little further than Mantis holding Drax back. The Destroyer really shows his hatred for the robot as the man in a suit is clearly scared. He might have had to change his underwear after the scene. Another interesting joke a few fans have picked up on is how the two guardians fit in. There was not one ounce of suspicion that Drax and Mantis weren’t in costumes and makeup.
Would Michael Bay have Gobots in a Transformer movie? It seems that would be easier since they both fall under Hasbro now. James Gunn just happened to get to it first and maybe Hasbro didn’t take the time to think it completely through.
With The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special streaming now on Disney Plus, fans are wondering what James Gunn’s move to DC will mean for Marvel. If he has anything to do with it, there might just be a wonderful collision course to look forward to in the future.