It’s the end of an era for the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. Marvel released the first trailer for the third and final installment on December 1st, teasing one final adventure of our beloved gang of misfits. It’s been quite a while since we last saw them, but just like Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill says in the clip, “The galaxy still needs its Guardians.” To complete the movie franchise, they’re yet to come together band together to protect the universe and one of theirs.
New details about the plot of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 were revealed at San Diego Comic-Con on July 23, giving fans a closer look at a project that’s been a long, long time coming. Marvel boss Kevin Feige already told us in 2016 gizmodo that the third film was definitely planned, and in 2017 it was announced that director James Gunn would be returning to direct the final film in the trilogy. But the story gets a little messy from there.
Gunn was released from the project on July 20, 2018, and production halted shortly thereafter. In 2019, Disney and Marvel hired Gunn again, but production was delayed until he finished The Suicide Squad and the HBO Max spin-off Peacemaker. Filming for GOTG 3 finally began in 2021 and concluded in May 2022. Fans also caught a glimpse of the Guardians of the Galaxy in Thor: Love and Thunder, which gives some helpful clues as to where their new film is headed.
Star Chris Pratt opened on July 2 Digital Spy about the film, which he calls a “masterpiece”. He said of the film: “It’s fantastic. James Gunn just saw a rough gathering the other day. I called him yesterday. We did Facetimed and he’s very, very proud of the work that everyone has ever done for us. He feels very, very confident. The script was fantastic.”
Pratt continued, “And I can say with absolute confidence that he has created a true masterpiece and I can’t wait for people to see it. It’s James Gunn. He did all three films, which is really rare and really special in the world of the big box office trilogies.”
Watching the trailer, which premiered at Comic-Con, was an emotional experience. “It really surprised me,” Pratt said Weekly entertainment. “Obviously, not only are you immediately swept up in the idea that this is the end of this trilogy for all of us, but you’re also reminded of the journey the characters are on.”
Here’s everything we know about Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, including the cast, plot and release date.
— Additional reporting by Eden Arielle Gordon