James Gunn and Will Poulter have both talked about how this interpretation of Adam Warlock will present him almost like a “malevolent baby,” exploring the early days of the character’s existence. It seems that this was a major contributing factor to Polter’s casting, as Gunn needed to make sure the actor could convincingly evolve over time. As he told Empire Magazine:
“People online were saying, ‘Oh, Tom Cruise should be Adam Warlock […]’ I wanted somebody who was youthful, and I wanted the person who had the dramatic chops and the comedic chops, not only for this movie but for what Marvel will use Adam Warlock for in the future. He could become this really important character.”
Will Poulter had his breakthrough role as Eustace Scrubb in “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,” but his turn as Kenny in the comedy film “We Are The Millers” and the memes that followed, firmly cemented his place as a comedic actor. However, as time went on, Poulter appeared in serious flicks like “Midsommar” and the critically-acclaimed limited series, “Dopesick,” more than proving he can thrive in any genre. With Gunn’s casting looking toward the future of the character’s place in the cinematic universe, it sounds like he made the perfect call. Poulter is young enough to continue to grow with the character but established enough to fit in perfectly with the rest of the heavy hitters in the MCU.
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” arrives in theaters on May 5, 2023.