Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is an American superhero film that serves as a sequel to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. It is produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It was released on May 5, 2023 and is the thirty-second film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the second film of Phase Five.
Synopsis[]
In Marvel Studios' "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3", our beloved band of misfits are looking a bit different these days. Peter Quill, still reeling from the loss of Gamora, must rally his team around him to defend the universe along with protecting one of their own. A mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.
Plot[]
At their new headquarters on Knowhere, the Guardians of the Galaxy are attacked by Adam Warlock, a Sovereign warrior created by their high priestess Ayesha. After Adam overpowers them and critically wounds Rocket, he is stabbed by Nebula and forced to flee. The Guardians are unable to tend to Rocket's wounds due to a kill switch, made by the company Orgocorp, embedded in him. They travel to Orgocorp's headquarters to find the override code.
As Rocket lies unconscious, he recalls his past. As a baby raccoon, he was experimented on by the High Evolutionary, a scientist who sought to enhance and anthropomorphize animal lifeforms to create a Counter-Earth. Rocket befriended the High Evolutionary's other test subjects: the otter Lylla, the walrus Teefs, and the rabbit Floor. The High Evolutionary was impressed by Rocket's rapidly growing intelligence but became furious once it had exceeded his own. The High Evolutionary perfected his experiments with Rocket's advice but ordered Rocket's brain to be extracted, and his friends incinerated. Rocket freed Lylla, only for the High Evolutionary to kill her. Enraged, Rocket mauled the High Evolutionary and shot his guards, but Teefs and Floor were killed in the chaos. Alone, Rocket stole a spaceship and fled.
In the present, the alternate version of Gamora, who has joined the Ravagers, helps the Guardians infiltrate Orgocorp. They retrieve Rocket's file but discover that the code has been removed. The group speculates that Theel, one of the High Evolutionary's advisors, has it, so they depart for Counter-Earth. They are followed by Ayesha and Adam, who are ordered by their creator, the High Evolutionary, to retrieve Rocket for his brain.
During this time, Quill spends a lot of it trying to make Gamora remember their relationship but she tells him that whoever that person was that loved him was an alternate, future version of herself and she doesn't feel that way about him. Quill later tries to make this version of Gamora like the version he loved, which causes her to finally snap and throw Quill against a wall, telling him she will never be who he wants her to be.
Upon arriving, the team is helped by residents in tracing Theel to the High Evolutionary's ship. Drax and Mantis remain with Gamora and Rocket as Peter Quill, Groot, and Nebula travel to the High Evolutionary's ship. Nebula is forced to wait outside by guards as Quill and Groot board. Drax and Mantis pursue Quill's group.
The High Evolutionary initiates his destruction and planned recreation of Counter-Earth, which kills all life on the planet, including Ayesha. As his ship enters orbit, Quill and Groot leap off and kill Theel, retrieving the code from him. Gamora arrives with their ship to rescue them, while Nebula, Mantis, and Drax board the High Evolutionary's ship to escape the planet. As Quill's group attempts to access the code, Rocket flatlines and has a near-death experience, where he reunites with Lylla, Teefs, and Floor. Lylla tells him that his time has not yet come as Quill uses the code to disable the kill switch and save Rocket's life.
Nebula, Mantis, and Drax encounter hundreds of imprisoned humanoid children on the High Evolutionary's ship before being captured. Quill's group sets out to rescue the three, placed in a chamber with monstrous Abilisks. Mantis befriends the Abilisks, allowing the group to escape and reunite with Quill's group, together overpowering the High Evolutionary's army. Kraglin and Cosmo arrive with Knowhere, and Cosmo creates a telekinetic tunnel connecting Knowhere to the High Evolutionary's ship to free the captured children. Rocket discovers imprisoned animals on the ship before being attacked by the High Evolutionary, but the rest of the Guardians help subdue him, leaving him to perish on his ship. The Guardians rescue the animals and lead them aboard Knowhere. Quill nearly dies trying to cross over but is saved by Adam, who had a change of heart after being saved by Groot.
In the aftermath, Quill leaves the Guardians, bestowing the captaincy to Rocket before leaving for Earth to reunite with his grandfather Jason. Mantis embarks on a journey of self-discovery with the Abilisks, just before Gamora reunites with the Ravagers, she assures Quill that she believes her alternate self had a fun relationship with him, which he responds with positively and tearfully watches her leave, accepting that his Gamora is truly gone. Nebula and Drax remain on Knowhere to raise the rescued children.
In a mid-credits scene, the new Guardians, consisting of Rocket, Groot, Cosmo, Kraglin, Adam, Phyla (one of the rescued children), and Adam's pet Blurp, take on a new mission.
In an end-credits scene, Peter Quill can be seen recovering from his childhood trauma and living his life on earth with his Grandfather.
Cast[]
- Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Star Lord
- Zoë Saldaña as Gamora
- Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer
- Bradley Cooper as Rocket Raccoon
- Noa Raskin as Baby Rocket
- Vin Diesel as Groot
- Austin Freeman as On-set Groot, Phlektik Guard
- Karen Gillan as Nebula
- Pom Klementieff as Mantis
- Elizabeth Debicki as Ayesha
- Sean Gunn as Kraglin Obfonteri, Child Rocket
- Sylvester Stallone as Stakar Ogord
- Michael Rosenbaum as Martinex
- Tara Strong as Mainframe
- Will Poulter as Adam Warlock
- Chukwudi Iwuji as High Evolutionary
- Maria Bakalova as Cosmo the Spacedog
- Linda Cardellini as Lylla the Otter
- Asim Chaudhry as Teefs the Walrus
- Mikaela Hoover as Floor the Rabbit
- Nathan Fillion as Master Karja
- Daniela Melchior as Ura
- Nico Santos as Theel
- Miriam Shor as Vim
- Kai Zen as Phyla
- Jennifer Holland as Administer Kwol
- Judy Greer as War Pig
- Michael Rooker as Yondu Udonta
- Dee Bradley Baker as Blurp
- Gregg Henry as Grandpa Quill
- Karen Abercrombie as Grandma Quill
- Christopher Fairbank as The Broker
- Seth Green as Howard the Duck
- Lloyd Kauffman as Gridlemop
- Pete Davidson as Phlektik
- James Gunn as Lambshank
- Molly Quinn as Ravager Molly
Production[]
In November 2014, Gunn stated that, in addition to having the "basic story" for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 while working on the first film, he also had ideas for a potential third film.[1] Despite this, Gunn stated in June 2015 that he was unsure if he would be involved with a third Guardians film, saying that it would depend on how he felt after making Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.[2] In April 2016, Feige said on future MCU films, "it is still a big chess board for 2020 and beyond, but certainly I would say Guardians 3 is [one film that's] up there. I don't know what exactly the order will be."[3] In March 2017, Gunn stated there would be a third film "for sure. We're trying to figure it out,"[4] also adding, "There are no specific plans for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. But we know unless something goes horribly — which is always possibly, you never know — I think that Marvel would want to make another movie."[5] He also reiterated he was still unsure if he would be involved with the film and that he was going to figure out his involvement and his next project "over the next couple of weeks."[4] The following month, Gunn announced he would return to write and direct Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.[6]
On July 20, 2018, Disney and Marvel severed ties with Gunn after conservative commentators began circulating old controversial tweets surrounding topics such as rape and pedophilia, and called for his firing.[7] However as of March, 15, 2019 he has been rehired by Disney to direct Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 once again and would resume working on the film after he completes 2021's The Suicide Squad for Warner Bros. Pictures and DC Films.
On June 28, 2021, Chris Pratt revealed that filming would start in the Autumn of that year and will end in April 2022.[8]
Filming began on October 19, 2021[9] and would finish around the middle of May 2022.[10]
On May 6, 2022, James Gunn announced that they officially wrapped production.[11] Dave Bautista announced he had finished filming as Drax, saying goodbye to the character.[12]
On January 4, 2023, Dave Bautista confirmed this was his final Marvel film and was happy to say goodbye to Drax.[13]
Reception[]
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 82% based on 375 reviews with an average rating of 7.2/10. The site's critics consensus reads: "A galactic group hug that might squeeze a little too tight on the heartstrings, the final Guardians of the Galaxy is a loving last hurrah for the MCU's most ragtag family." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 64 out of 100, based on 63 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale, the same as the previous two Guardians films, while PostTrak reported that moviegoers gave the film a 91% positive score, with 79% saying they would definitely recommend it.
Videos[]
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- This is the final Guardians movie, according to James Gunn.[14]
- Part of the plot was nearly used for a What if..? episode.[15]
- The plot is very emotional. Actresses Pom Klementieff and Karen Gillan both cried when reading the script.[16]
- This is the second MCU film to be released on May 5, after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
- According to James Gunn, this is the final appearance of all the Guardians.[17]
- However, the post credit scene indicates Star-Lord will return.
- As the film entered production, its set was used to film Ezra Miller's cameo as Barry Allen/Flash for the first season finale of the DCEU production Peacemaker, of which Gunn also served as creator, director, and showrunner.[18]
- James Gunn says this film has "a different type of groundness".[19]
- This is the fourth film in the MCU to be shot entirely with IMAX cameras, after Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
- Linda Cardellini, who previously played Laura Barton in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Avengers: Endgame, and Hawkeye, plays Lylla.
- Tara Strong, who previously played Miss Minutes in Loki, plays Mainframe, who was previously played by Miley Cyrus.
- Judy Greer, who previously played Maggie Lang in Ant-Man, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, plays War Pig.
- Mikaela Hoover, who previously played Nova Prime's assistant in the first Guardians movie, plays Floor.
- Nathan Fillion, who previously played a monstrous inmate in the first Guardians movie, plays Master Karja. He was originally met to play Wonder Man in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 but his role got cut and then got replaced by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II who will play him for his own series. But Nathan Fillion later played Wonder Man in M.O.D.O.K..
- Dee Bradley Baker, who previously played Morris in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, plays Blurp.
- Benjamin Byron Davis, who previously played Agent Burleigh in Ant-Man and the Wasp, plays Bletelsnort.
- Miriam Shor, who previously played Alisa Jones in Jessica Jones, plays Vim.
- Molly Quinn, who previously played Howard the Duck's date in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, plays Ravager Molly, (The one who says "Mwah" when Gamora is introduced).
- Molly Quinn and Will Poulter previously stared in We're the Millers.
- Despite playing mother and son, Elizabeth Debicki is only 3 years older than Will Poulter.
- This is the first Marvel Cinematic Universe film to use a completely uncensored F-bomb,[20] as in: "Open the f------ door!" yelled out loud by Peter Quill. This F-bomb wasn't in the original script James Gunn told Chris Pratt to say it on set.
- Peter Quill's NASA backpack appeared from the beginning of the first film when he was abducted by Ravagers after Meredith Quill's death.
- This is the second 2023 film starring Chris Pratt where "No Sleep till Brooklyn" is used, being The Super Mario Bros. Movie from Illumination the first film.
- Coincidentally, Star-Lord's Brazilian Portuguese, Canadian French, German and European Spanish voice actors, Raphael Rossatto, Philippe Martin, Leonhard Mahlich and Guillermo Romero are also the voice of Mario in said dubs of the film as well as the recurring voice of Chris Pratt in those languages.
Reference to Ghost
- High Evolutionary's European Spanish voice actor, Fernando Castro, also voiced Bowser in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, making his second 2023 antagonist in a film starring Chris Pratt.
- Mantis' European Spanish voice actress, Laura Pastor, also voiced Peach in The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
- Peter's grandfather's European Spanish voice actor, Fernando De Luis, also voiced Cranky Kong in The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
- Coincidentally, Star-Lord's Brazilian Portuguese, Canadian French, German and European Spanish voice actors, Raphael Rossatto, Philippe Martin, Leonhard Mahlich and Guillermo Romero are also the voice of Mario in said dubs of the film as well as the recurring voice of Chris Pratt in those languages.
- This is the first film in the MCU in the last 6 years where a main character (other than the villain) hasn't died.
- At the end, Groot briefly says: "I love you, guys", which is a nod to how Groot speaks fluent English in the comics, However this is first and so far only time in the MCU where he spoke in normal fluent English instead of saying "I am Groot". James Gunn later confirmed that Groot actually says "I am Groot", but the spectators can now understand Groot's language.
- A mannequin-type of thing was created of Chris Pratt as Star-Lord for when he is drunk and Nebula carries him, due to Karen Gillan being unable to actually carry Chris Pratt.[21]
Toy Story reference.
- There are a couple of references to the 1990 film Ghost. Peter Quill calls himself Patrick Swayze (who played the main character and eventual ghost, Sam Wheat), and Rocket seeing Lylla in the afterlife references when Sam's girlfriend Molly sees him for the last time as a ghost, just as he is about to descend onto the afterlife.
- This movie reveals that Rocket is the secret protagonist of the Guardians movies.
- Groot making wings and saving Star-Lord is a reference to the first Toy Story film, when Buzz and Woody fly over to the moving truck. Chris Evans, who played Captain America, did the voice of Buzz Lightyear in his own movie.
- One of the films editors Fred Raskin who's daughter Noa Raskin voiced Baby Rocket (When he says "hurts") and then when Rocket is a preteen child (the scene with the mutated turtle) his voice was done by his motion capture actor and Kraglin's actor, Sean Gunn. This was confirmed by James Gunn in the audio commentary.
- "Come and Get Your Love" from the first film is repeated during the final scene in this film, almost like the journey of the Guardians team has come full circle.
References[]
- ↑ Interview: James Gunn Talks ‘Guardians 2,’ Small Vs Big Budgets And Being “Betrayed” By ‘Lost’
- ↑ ‘Guardians of the Galaxy 2’ Has Fewer Characters, One New
- ↑ Avengers: Infinity War Parts 1 and 2 Will Be Very Different Movies
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Director James Gunn Teases The Guardians’ “Integral Part” In ‘Infinity War’
- ↑ James Gunn Explains What He Really Meant About 'Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3'
- ↑ 'Guardians of the Galaxy 3': James Gunn Returning to Write and Direct
- ↑ "James Gunn Fired From ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy’ Franchise Over Offensive Tweets". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved on February 17, 2019.
- ↑ "Chris Pratt Reveals When Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Starts Filming". The Direct (June 28, 2021).
- ↑ "Chris Pratt Celebrates Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Filming Start". The Direct (October 19, 2021).
- ↑ Fandom on Twitter - March 30, 2022
- ↑ James Gunn on Twitter - May 6, 2022
- ↑ Dave Bautista Teases the End of Drax In Guardians of the Galaxy 3
- ↑ Dave Bautista Says Goodbye to Marvel Drax Role
- ↑ Gunn Plans For Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 To Be His Last Movie In Franchise
- ↑ A What If...? Storyline Was Rejected Because It's Already Half the Plot of Guardians of the Galaxy 3
- ↑ "So Emotional" Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Script Left Stars in "Floods of Tears"
- ↑ "Marvel Is Done With Chris Pratt's Guardians of the Galaxy After Vol. 3, Says Director". The Direct (January 28, 2022).
- ↑ 'Peacemaker' Season Finale: James Gunn on Pulling Off [SPOILERS'] Shocking Cameo
- ↑ "Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Director Reveals Key Change From First Two Movies". The Direct (February 17, 2022).
- ↑ "James Gunn Talks GotG 3 F-Word Usage, Teases MCU Returns". Comingsoon.net (April 26, 2023).
- ↑ Chris Pratt's Tweet, May 13, 2023
External Links[]
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 on Wikipedia
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 on Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki
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