Spoilers ahead for Guardians 3.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is always growing, and Phase Five has already been an exciting one. The release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 gave the team of cosmic heroes a happy ending, and their collective future is a mystery. Those who watched the Marvel movies in order know it all started with James Gunn’s original 2014 movie, and Chris Pratt recently recalled thinking he was blowing his infamous dance scene. He was even quoted saying “it was just costing $20,000 a minute.” Let’s break it all down.
The Guardians franchise has always pivoted between drama and comedy, and nowhere was that more clear than in the final battle with Ronan the Accuser in the OG movie. Despite the high stakes, Peter ends up challenging the villain to a dance-off, to bonkers results. But it turns out that filming it was far from a dance party for Pratt, especially considering just how big the production was. As he told it in a video from BBC Radio 1’s YouTube page.
I really love the dance off piece. I thought that was pretty great. I just remember in my head, when we were filming that, it was the most expensive set I’d ever been on, this massive outdoor set in Longcross England. And there were a few dozen, maybe even more, extras all dressed in incredibly complicated alien makeups that would have taken them hours. There were flames 20 feet in the air. It was just costing $20,000 a minute or something like that. And they’re like, ‘Alright now dance.’
Talk about pressure. While dancing in front of people can be nerve-wracking for anyone, there was way more pressure for Pratt while filming Guardians of the Galaxy. Because he wasn’t alone on a sound stage, he was cutting a rug in the middle of a wildly expensive set. And it happened when the Parks & Rec standout was transitioning into a full-fledged movie star.
Later in that same interview promoting Guardians 3, Chris Pratt shared more about his experience filming Star-Lord’s dance off with Ronin. While he was hoping to get guidance given how expensive production was, that didn’t exactly play out. As he put it,
I’m like, ‘I think if this, I might be blowing this. This whole movie is just … I don’t even know how to dance really!’ I was like, ‘Can you get me a choreographer.’ He’s like, ‘No, just dance.’ ‘Oh God, I forgot this scene was coming up.’ But we made it work. I just went for it.
In the end this scene really paid off. The Peter’s dance moves are the perfect mixture of slick and awkward, and the dance off is a bonkers moment of levity during the movie’s final battle. In many ways it’s an example of why James Gunn’s sensibility made the Guardians franchise into a fan favorite property. You can see the clip in question below:
So what’s next for Chris Pratt in the MCU? The ending of Guardians 3 actually gave the team happy endings, and surprisingly they all made it out alive. Peter returned to Earth to reunite with his grandfather, and the post credits scene for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 showed him living happily with his relative. Text also confirmed that Star-Lord would return to the MCU, but it’s unclear exactly when this might occur.
There’s been no indication as to which upcoming Marvel movie might bring Pratt back to the MCU. But perhaps the strongest possibility is Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, which is expected to be the shared universe’s next big crossover event.
Guardians 3 is in theaters now and making money at the box office. Be sure to check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
