Michael Rosembaun, who played Martinx in Guardians of the Galaxy 2, talks about what happened to his character
Michael Rosenbaum, known for his role in Smallville, made his MCU debut in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. But the actor revealed that Martinez was forgotten in the editing room.
Broken plans
The second part of the Guardians Hitting theaters in 2017, it introduced “The Original Guardians,” starring Sylvester Stallone as Stark O’Gourd, Ving Rhams as Charlie-27, Michelle Yeoh as Aletta O’Gourd, Miley Cyrus as Mainframe and Michael Rosenbaum as Martinez. Oversees space projects, creates the Marvel Cosmic Universe.
Despite expectations, it’s unclear how far along those plans were before Disney parted ways with Gunn following controversial comments on social media. Although Gunn eventually returned for Live Volume 3, he soon left the franchise to run DC Studios and the DCU.
The role was reduced to a cameo
Rosenbaum, who is Gunn’s best friend, has raised hopes among fans that Martinez will have a bigger role in the third installment and even a Ravager-centric spin-off. Unfortunately, the actor’s role in the film was limited to a simple cameo.
“The role is going to be huge. They cut a lot,” Rosenbaum told ComicBook.com of his limited involvement in the MCU. “They got to see Martin’s powers, which was great.”
Rosenbaum’s experience with the MCU
Although his involvement in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise was minimal, Rosenbaum holds no grudges. “It was fun. For me, it’s like, I’m working with my friends, I’m getting paid, I’m in a big Marvel movie, life could be worse,” Rosenbaum added. “You know what I mean? I’m very grateful.”
Rams, Yoh and Cyrus did not return for No. 3, with Tara Strong replacing the latter.
James Gunn and the challenges of number 3
In January, he responded to a fan saying that the delay in the release date of Gunn Vol 3 was in line with what happened with the Avengers movies, or that it was simply a difficult movie to write. Despite Gunn’s temporary layoff, he devoted much time to the project.
“No. Marvel hasn’t changed,” confirmed the co-CEO of DC Studios. “It was hard to just shut things down. And I was running out of energy until I went and did Suicide Squad and came back.”
Even then, Gunn added, it wasn’t the most enjoyable writing experience he’d ever had. “Only the force of will will push it to the end.”
We did not see the guards
Rosenbaum is no stranger to famous characters. Best known for his role as Lex Luthor on Smallville, his transition to the MCU as Martinez was an exciting time for fans. Martinex Ti Naga, originally from the planet Pluto, is a crystal body with the ability to control heat and cold. In the comics, he is one of the founding members of the Guardians of the Galaxy, who many hoped would appear in the movies.
Although his appearance was brief, the inclusion of the character and other original Guardians in Guardians 2 left the door open for future explorations of the Marvel Cosmic Universe. Compared to other characters in the MCU, Martinez has a unique background and powers that could add an interesting dynamic to the franchise. Even if those plans didn’t materialize, the possibility of seeing more of these characters is a latent desire among fans.
The future of guards
Guardians 3 is now available on all movie-buyable platforms. Although the series ended with Gunn at the helm, the legacy of Watchmen lives on in the hearts of fans and in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
As we wait to see what the future holds for these characters, it’s clear that the journey of Guardians has been full of ups and downs, both on screen and behind the scenes.