MOVIE PREVIEW – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 looks to be on track for a May 2023 release if all goes well. Filming is set to begin in November 2021, as confirmed by director James Gunn himself.

The director hyped the release of the three-part sequel by saying it would be “huge” in terms of the worlds we’ll see. He even confirmed that the soundtrack had been completed, so everything is in place for the film to bring an epic conclusion to the trilogy.

However, Marvel fans will indeed wonder if, for example, the recently released Thor: Love and Thunder will have any relevance in the third Guardians of the Galaxy movie. Well, we’ll tell you!

Let’s see everything that you need to know about Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

What’s the story of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 be about, and will Thor: Love and Thunder matter?

Details of the specific plot of the third film are under wraps for now, but Gunn has promised that it will serve as an “epic conclusion” to the story that began in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy.

The film will mark the end of the team’s current version on the big screen, and Bautista has ruled out the possibility of a future movie in the role of Drax. “I mean, in terms of my commitments, there’s Guardians 3, and that’s probably the end of Drax,” he told Digital Spy.

Thor: Love and Thunder gave us a little interlude about what the Guardians have been up to since Endgame.

Along with Thor, the Guardians have been answering distress calls across the universe thanks to Gorr, the Divine Butcher…who slaughters gods. Starlord suggests that the team split up to best travel the galaxy and help humans.

They set out from Thor: Love and Thunder to presumably do just that. In our imagination, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will introduce this plot point as a quick prologue to the actual story of the third film – the search for Gamora, who presumably disappeared after the big battle with Thanos.

Gunn noted that if he hadn’t made the third film, his biggest disappointment would have been not completing Rocket’s arc. So we can expect more about Rocket in the third film, perhaps even his entire backstory.

He also blurted out that the third film would be “actually quite difficult”, adding, “it’s a more difficult story, so it’s an emotional process to go through”. Pratt described the film as a masterpiece.

This was backed up by Karen Gillan, who said that when she and Pom Klementieff read the script together, they were “in tears”. “It was brilliant, emotional, funny, and everything you want it to be,” she gushed.

Let’s hope the tears aren’t shed because some of our favourite Guardians are going to die…

When Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be released?

Marvel has finally confirmed that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will hit theaters on May 5, 2023, so you can now officially start the countdown.

In October 2021, Disney rearranged the release dates for each of the upcoming Phase 4 films, but the three-part sequel is staying right where it is. Hopefully it stays that way and we’ll see it in cinemas in May 2023.

Before then, in December 2022, we’ll get a holiday special on Disney+, which will apparently feature “one of the greatest MCU characters of all time”. The movie will be filmed at the same time as the third movie, and will take place between Thor 4 and Guardians 3.

As mentioned, filming on the third film is already underway and Gunn says it will be completed “in early May”. Of course, just because filming is over doesn’t mean the movie is finished, as there is still post-production work to be done.

The three sequels, by the way, have already set a new world record for filming, surpassing The Grinch for “most make-up sets made for a single production”. Impressive.

Who will return for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3?

Chris Pratt returns as Star-Lord, Dave Bautista as Drax, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Bradley Cooper as Rocket, Vin Diesel as Groot and Pom Klementieff as Mantis. Zoe Saldana will also be back as Gamora, following the events of Avengers: The Final Destiny.

Gamora was thought to have died in Avengers: Infinity War, but Endgame introduced a Gamora from a 2014 timeline who was brought forward to 2023 and disappeared after Tony Stark saved the world.

Saldana has said she wants to reveal “a bad Gamora” in the third Guardians movie, and we’d be totally up for that. The star also spilled the beans on the story of the three sequels, and it sounds like we’re going to need tissues.

“There’s a lot of melancholy, but also pride that we’ve achieved something great. James Gunn has written a beautiful story that makes us feel something even while we’re filming it,” he noted.

Sean Gunn will apparently return to play Kraglin, Yondu’s former Ravager buddy, and Elizabeth Debicki may also return as Ayesha. “I would be very happy, even if it’s just for a moment, so to speak. I mean, I would love to come back,” she said.

Sylvester Stallone’s Stakar will also return, so this could also mark the return of Ravenclaw’s Aleta Ogord (Michelle Yeoh), Mainframe (voiced by Miley Cyrus), Charlie-27 (Ving Rhames), and Martinex (Michael Rosenbaum) in the MCU’s future.

Guardians of the Galaxy 3: Will Poulter has been cast as Adam Warlock

The most exciting new cast member is Will Poulter, who has been confirmed as Adam Warlock, rumoured to appear in the MCU since he appeared in a cameo in Guardians Vol 2.

“I feel very, very fortunate and honored to have been accepted into the Marvel family,” Poulter said of the casting.

“Especially in a franchise like Guardians of the Galaxy, which I think is incredibly creative and very, very unique. James Gunn I really, really admire, so I feel very lucky.”

Poulter also talked about the physical transformation required for the role, which he wouldn’t recommend to anyone.

“There were times when I’d look at the food and feel like I couldn’t face it, and then you’d blink and the next minute you’re ready to eat furniture because you’re so hungry.”

Also joining the cast is Peacemaker star Chukwudi Iwuji, and while we don’t know who he’s playing, Gunn revealed that “he’s one of the main characters in the movie, and people are amazed at how good of an actor this guy is already.”

There is one person however, who we definitely won’t be seeing (unless in flashbacks): it’s Michael Rooker as Yondu, who actually sacrificed himself to save Star-Lord in the second film.

“As I’ve said before, Yondu is dead, and will remain so as long as I’m working on Guardians,” Gunn tweeted. “His death has meaning and I don’t want to take that back.”

When is Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3 trailer?

Filming is coming to an end, but we think we’ll have to wait a while for the first trailer.

If we do have a release date, we might expect it at Comic-Con 2022, though we hope we won’t have to wait that long.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will hit theaters on May 5, 2023. Until then, there’s plenty of time to catch the previous two films on Disney+.

-theGeek-