James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is set to begin shooting before the end of the year, and by the time the cosmic epic hits theaters in May 2023, the dysfunctional titular team will have experienced the longest gap ever between Marvel Cinematic Universe sequels, with six years having passed since Vol. 2.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and fans have long since been champing at the bit to see Star-Lord and the gang make their return. The good news is that the Holiday Special is coming to Disney Plus during next year’s festive season, but the bad news is that Vol. 3 definitely marks the end of the line for Dave Bautista’s tenure as Drax, and possibly even Gunn’s stewardship of the property.
There’s evidently going to be a huge emotional undercurrent to what could be the last outing for the current lineup of the Guardians, and in a new interview Karen Gillan revealed that she was brought to tears during her first read through of the script with co-star Pom Klementieff.
“I read that script with Pom Klementieff, who plays Mantis. We read it together and we both cried and laughed, but there was full tears. It’s incredible, I think it’s James’ strongest work yet with the Guardians and it’s just brilliant. It’s brilliant and it’s emotional and it’s funny and it’s all of those things that you want.”
Nebula has become an increasingly integral part of the MCU over the years, shifting allegiances from villain to hero and back again, but her arc across Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, coupled with an upcoming appearance in Thor: Love and Thunder, would indicate that she’s firmly erring on the side of good.
Whatever the case, the promise of some serious emotional heft to counterbalance the wit, humor and stylish set pieces we’re expecting from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 could be sending the squad out in a blaze of glory, and there’s every chance there might not even be a dry eye left in the house by the time the credits roll.
