Pom Klementieff Posts a Praying Mantis, and Marvel

A single photo of an insect has the MCU community looking for clues. Is Mantis about to crash the end of the multiverse?

Pom Klementieff: The Tease That Started It All

Pom Klementieff, who plays Mantis, shared an Instagram carousel with a photo of a real mantis on slide 12 of 18. Fans quickly did the math. That lines up with 12/18, the date associated with Avengers: Doomsday’s US release, 18 December 2026.

Cute coincidence or deliberate wink? That’s where the debate begins.

Why Fans Are Excited

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 gave the team a bittersweet goodbye in 2023. Peter Quill went back to Earth, Drax and Nebula stayed on Knowhere, Gamora remained with the Ravagers, and Rocket took charge of a new team. Mantis set off to explore the galaxy on her own.

That left her future wide open. And with Doomsday dealing with the end of the multiverse, plenty of fans think Earth’s heroes will need every ally they can get.

Tease vs. Reality

Question	What We Know
Who posted the tease?	Pom Klementieff (Mantis)
What was the tease?	A mantis photo on slide 12 of 18 in an Instagram carousel
What might it hint at?	The 12/18 release date of Avengers: Doomsday
Is she in the official cast?	No, she wasn’t in Marvel’s announced cast
Other Guardians confirmed?	No official word
Marvel’s response	None, so nothing is confirmed
Doomsday release	18 December 2026 (US)

What Klementieff Has Said Before

She hasn’t promised anything. After Vol. 3 in 2023, she said the cast had no idea what would happen next, and that Mantis was “going to go riding” to see what’s up. In March 2026, she said a fourth Guardians film was never discussed and that the series was always meant as a trilogy.

So her own words suggest she doesn’t know what’s planned. It’s also worth remembering that she has talked about watching real mantises for her performance, so posting one isn’t out of character.

Could the Guardians Still Appear?

The confirmed ensemble leans heavily on the returning Avengers, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men actors and Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom. Captain Marvel and the Guardians haven’t been listed, which feels odd for a story this big.

There are a few ways they could still show up:

A last-resort call. Rocket’s new team is still active, so the Avengers could reach out in the final battle.
A brief cameo. The “all hands on deck” situation makes a short appearance believable.
Avengers: Secret Wars. A rumored Battleworld setup could be a cleaner way back for many characters.

None of this is confirmed, so treat it as fan theory.

Our Take

It’s a fun tease, but it’s still just a tease. The best honest answer today is “maybe.” Until Marvel says otherwise, Mantis stays in the “wishful thinking” column. For background on the film, see the Wikipedia page for Avengers: Doomsday.

Craving more Marvel news? Check out the entertainment section at TechnoSports for the latest MCU updates, trailers and rumors. You can also browse our latest news page to catch up before December.