Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is in theatres now, tearing everyone's hearts out. This long-awaited end to the Guardians trilogy gives all of the characters a pretty satisfying send-off, as it's likely that this is the last film James Gunn will direct for the MCU. So, with such a huge task ahead of him going into the film's production, Gunn took inspiration from other sci-fi greats that left a lasting impression on audiences.
Speaking after the film's premiere, Gunn confirms that Mass Effect and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic influenced Guardians of the Galaxy. Many fans had assumed this was the case, feelings the games' vibes in the latest Guardians film. He doesn't lay out exactly which parts were inspired by these games, but it definitely seems that they influenced the overall atmosphere of the Guardians' world, and perhaps even the dynamic between the Guardians themselves.
This comes from James Gunns' account over on the new Twitter alternative, Bluesky. Here, he tells a fan that "Mass Effect and Knights of the Old Republic definitely influenced Guardians". He goes on to agree with a fan who says that KOTOR is "the greatest game of all time", so it's not surprising to see it influence Gunn's work.
Gunn has praised KOTOR before, previously calling it his "favourite game of all time." With that in mind, it's no wonder that he used it as a point of reference when creating his own sci-fi world in Guardians of the Galaxy.
Unsurprisingly, this is far from the first Gunn film to draw inspiration from a video game. For 2021's The Suicide Squad, Gunn referenced a game he actually worked on: Lollipop Chainsaw. This influence can be seen in Harley Quinn's solo fight scene as she escapes captivity, with the ultraviolence contrasted with bright, colourful, cartoony visuals.
Despite this, Gunn isn't working on the Lollipop Chainsaw revival that was announced last year. Since it's a remake, we can expect to see his influence in the game still, but he will not be returning to add his flair to the project himself. That being said, we still have no idea when it will launch, as it still only has a vague "2023" release window. It's apparently aiming to be "as close as possible" to a remaster though, so it's possible that it won't be so extensive that it has to be pushed back into 2024. Even if we're yet to get any kind of look at the game.