Glenn Close latest addition to new Guardians of the Galaxy attraction

Glenn Close’s Nova Prime from Guardians of the Galaxy is back, but this time it is at a new attraction at Walt Disney World.

As Guardians of the Galaxy begins production on the 3rd film of the series, more news has emerged from the franchise. Glenn Close is coming back in a new way by reprising her character of Nova Prime, “the leader of Xander’s Nova Corps,” in a brand new attraction coming to Walt Disney World.

Although there are no details about the specifics of Close’s involvement with the ride, what is known is that the ride will open in the summer of 2022 at Epcot.

Close made her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in the first film of the series, 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy, where, as Collider puts it: “the Guardians joined forces with the Nova Corps, a militaristic group, to defend Xander from Ronan the Accuser.”

Officially known as Nova Prime Irani Rael, she leads the Nova Corps, the “intergalactic military and police force of the Nova Empire,” that live on the planet, Xandar.

Disney Parks announced the addition to the theme park in a video during Destination D23 that featured Close herself, who exclaimed, “I’m so excited to be reprising my role as Nova Prime for an all-new attraction coming to Epcot next summer,” she stated in the preview.  She continued by saying, “We can’t wait to see you all there to help us save the galaxy. See you soon!” The ride is considered a cosmic rewind roller coaster, and “will be the first of its kind within the EPCOT theme park”

Walt Disney Imagineering has called the ride system an OmniCoaster system, where “Cosmic Rewind’s vehicles will be able to rotate 360 degrees and do a reverse launch–a first for Walt Disney World.” 2022 also marks the 40th anniversary of Epcot, and the attraction will be at the Wonders of Xandar Pavilion, formerly known as the Universe of Energy Pavilion.

As for the ride’s connection to the MCU,  James Gunn explained that it will be independent and, as Collider puts it, will “not be a part of the traditional Marvel Cinematic Universe, taking place in a different universe and allowing Disney Parks guests to enter a whole new world of action and adventure.” This builds on the introduction of the multiverse in the MCU.

The Sacred Timeline is also separate from the Marvel attractions in other Disney Parks, such as Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure, which “operates with the ‘Marvel Theme Park Universe’, a branch of the multiverse in which the events of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame did not occur, and multiple characters interact in ways that would not be possible in the MCU.”

In addition to the third Guardians of the Galaxy film being in production set for a May 2023 premiere, Cosmic Rewind has started shooting as well. While Cosmic Rewind is separate from the MCU, this will mark the Guardians’ debut in Phase Four of the MCU, which currently features Disney+ shows such as WandaVision, Loki, Hawkeye, and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and films such as Black Widow, Eternals, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and the upcoming Spider-Man: No Way Home.

While Avengers: Endgame may have marked the end of an era for some parts of the world of Marvel, beyond that of the MCU, it also marked a new beginning, and everything from the new Guardians of the Galaxy attraction and upcoming film are indicative of that.