Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be the second film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) Phase 5 (following Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania) and the 32nd film in the MCU. The cast wrapped filming in May 2022 and director James Gunn shared that he was “a lucky human to have them on the journey with me for nearly a decade.”
Since heroes in Marvel usually get three films or a trilogy (except Thor), fans have wondered if Vol.3 will be the last movie of the Guardians franchise. So, will Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 be the last one?
Is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 the Last Movie in the Guardians Franchise?
Yes, director James Gunn confirmed that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be the last movie in the Guardians franchise.
"This is the end for us, the last time people will see this team of Guardians," Gunn said on Deadline's Hero Nation podcast.
“I just want to be true to the characters, the story and give people the wrap-up that they deserve for the story… I'm aware that the third film in most trilogies sucks; not always," Gunn added.
In addition, actor Dave Bautista stated that Vol. 3 would be the last time he would be playing Drax the Destroyer.
“I’m so grateful for Drax. I love him. But there’s a relief [that it’s over]. It wasn’t all pleasant. It was hard playing that role. The makeup process was beating me down. And I just don’t know if I want Drax to be my legacy—it’s a silly performance, and I want to do more dramatic stuff,” Bautista said in an interview with GQ Hype.
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What Will Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Be About?
The official synopsis of the film says that “our beloved band of misfits are looking a bit different these days.” However, even though Peter Quill is “still reeling from the loss of Gamora”, he “must rally his team around him on a dangerous mission to save Rocket's life-a mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.”
So from the synopsis, we know that Rocket’s life is in danger and that this will serve as a central plot in the movie. This, along with two trailers and interviews, are what we have so far in relation to the story of the movie.
Gunn said on Deadline's Hero Nation podcast that the upcoming film is "big and dark”.
"It's so, so big and dark, and different from what people might be expecting it to be,” said Gunn.
Furthermore, during filming, actress Zoe Saldaña shared with Screen Rant that the director gave them a beautiful ending and that the story is going to be the best one yet.
“It's a bittersweet moment because it is our understanding that this will be the last Guardians of the Galaxy. So it's bitter in that sense, but it's sweet because we are all very grateful to have lived this journey together and James Gunn really is giving us a beautiful ending, and this story is really compelling. I think it's going to be the best one yet,” Saldaña said.
However, since this is Marvel, even though Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is confirmed to be the final chapter of the trilogy, there’s always a possibility that some of the characters will still appear in upcoming Marvel films.
Fans can always hope for some of the characters to appear in future MCU films. For now, you can watch the trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 below:
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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 premieres in theaters on May 5, 2023. The first two Guardians of the Galaxy films, I Am Groot, and the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special are available to stream on Disney+.