Sometimes continuity can be muddled when dealing with a continuity as large as the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Sometimes it is an error due to miscommunication, but other times it is just a simple oversight. That is what happened to James Gunn‘s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
Though the film is a huge hit, there is one glaring error fans have caught wind of. There will be minor spoilers, so this is your one and only warning. But if you have seen the film, then proceed to read the full story below.
So the error in question surrounds Stan Lee‘s Watcher cameo. As you may very well know there is a fan favorite theory that Lee is actually one of the Watchers, an all-powerful being who watches over and compiles a historical reference for all of the events that occur within the universe. They do so to gain more knowledge, but they never actually interfere with what is going on. For the case of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Lee actually confirms that he is a Watcher by reminding a group of them that he was a Fed Ex delivery man. There in lies the problem. The sequel takes place before Captain America: Civil War. So there is no way that Lee could have known that. But there is also a counter argument to that as well.
During a spoilery Facebook Live session, Gunn acknowledges the mistake. While playing around with the idea was fun, it does not hurt the film in any way whatsoever. Here’s what he said:
“I actually read the Marvel fan sites and the Marvel message boards out there and a lot of times people have ideas that are somewhat off-base or silly or whatever,” said Gunn. “But one thing I found very funny and interesting is the fact that people thought Stan Lee is a Watcher”¦ and that all of these cameos that he’s doing are part of him being a Watcher. So I thought that was one of the greatest things the fans came up with.”
“So, Stan Lee, as a guy who is either a Watcher – or probably a guy who is working for the Watchers – was something that I thought was fun for the MCU.
“And yes, I know I made a mistake. People have written and asked me, and I’ll own up to my mistake because Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 theoretically happens in 2014 which is before [Captain America Civil War]. And Stan Lee in the movie says, “˜That time I was the Fed Ex guy,’ which is what he is in Civil War. I screwed up; I wasn’t thinking. That’s all that is.”
Gunn also toyed with the idea that he was a strip club DJ, which would acknowledge Lee’s appearance in Deadpool. However, we all know rights issues come into play, so that idea was scrapped.
Regardless if it was a mistake, it hasn’t hurt the film, which is currently on its way to earning over $700 million worldwide. So I’d say it wasn’t a costly mistake.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is out in theaters now. Check out our review and press junket coverage of the film here.
[Source: Facebook]
How about a little fourth-wall breaking nod to us? That’s all I saw it as. Movies and TV shows do stuff like that for us all the time.
Comment by Tony Annechino — May 16, 2017 @ 3:37 pm
Honestly, this doesn’t seem like that big a deal as far as continuity goes. All we have to do to make this work is believe that when *we* see Stan Lee as a Fed Ex guy in Captain America Civil War, that it is not the first or only time that Stan Lee is a Fed Ex guy in the MCU. For all we know, Stan Lee has been portraying a Fed Ex guy (and various other roles) as a Watcher since the 1940s. I agree that this doesn’t hurt the film.
Comment by PAUL — May 17, 2017 @ 8:27 am