Guardians of the Galaxy 3: release date, trailer, cast, plot, and more

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Here’s everything you need to know about Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy 3.

Guardians of the Galaxy 3 is gearing up to be a tear-jerking swansong for director James Gunn and its fantastic cast. The forthcoming Marvel movie will be the final time we see this merry band of eclectic characters on the big screen (in their current guise, anyway), so make sure you bring plenty of tissues with you.

We’re less than two months out from this Marvel Phase 5 movie debuting in theaters, too, so it’s high time you read up on what’s worth knowing about it. Below, we’ve compiled everything you need to know about Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, including its release date, trailers, cast, story, and more.

Full spoilers follow for Marvel‘s Guardians of the Galaxy 1 and 2, their Disney Plus Holiday special, and the group’s appearances in Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, and Thor: Love and Thunder.

Guardians of the Galaxy 3 release date

Hey, Gamora, when is Guardians 3 out in theaters? (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Guardians of the Galaxy 3 launches in theaters worldwide on May 5. It’ll be out two days earlier, though, in the UK and Ireland (per industry insider Tom Linay). 

Director James Gunn has also confirmed (via Instagram) that the threequel’s runtime will be “longer than 1 and 2”. How much longer, however, is unclear. Lastly, Guardians 3 has been rated PG-13 in the US (that’s 12A in the UK) for “intense sequences of violence and action, strong language, suggestive/drug references, and thematic elements.”

Guardians of the Galaxy 3 trailer

Guardians of the Galaxy 3‘s official trailer arrived on February 12. Pleasingly, it showcases more of the gang’s dry and bickering sense of humor, meaning the team’s potentially final MCU outing (in this guise) won’t be a complete tearjerker.

That said, there are plenty more emotional moments in this brief look. We see more of baby Rocket (if anything happens to him, I swear…), Drax saying how grateful he is to fight alongside his friends (we’re not crying…), and some real ‘this looks like the end’ flashes for some of our favorite MCU characters.

We’re also treated to more information on The High Evolutionary’s aims, with the film’s villain saying it’s his “sacred mission” to make a “perfect society”, much to Rocket’s chagrin. With lots more besides – space rock operatic tones, action, and heart-wrenching moments – on show, too, Guardians 3 looks like it’ll be the perfect capper to James Gunn’s MCU trilogy.

Missed the first teaser, which showed a six-armed, gun toting Groot, the live-action debut of Adam Warlock, and a baby version of Rocket? Check it out below:

Guardians of the Galaxy 3 cast

Chris Pratt returns as Peter Quill/Star-Lord. (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Here’s Guardians of the Galaxy 3’s cast list so far: 

Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Star-Lord
Zoe Saldaña as Gamora 
Dave Bautista as Drax
Karen Gillan as Nebula
Pom Klementieff as Mantis
Bradley Cooper as Rocket Raccoon
Vin Diesel as Groot
Sean Gunn as Kraglin
Will Poulter as Adam Warlock
Chuwudi Iwuji as The High Evolutionary
Maria Bakalova as Cosmo the Spacedog
Elizabeth Debicki as Ayesha
Sylvester Stallone as Stakar Ogord
Michael Rosenbaum as Martinex
Daniela Mechior as TBA
Nico Santos as TBA

Pratt, Saldaña, Bautista, Gillan, Klementieff, Cooper, Diesel, and Gunn all reprise their roles from previous Guardians movies. Bakalova (Bodies Bodies Bodies, Borat 2) also returns as Cosmo, the telekinetic spacedog that made its MCU debut in the Guardians’ Holiday Special. Meanwhile, Debicki, Stallone, and Rosenbaum are back in their supporting roles from Guardians of the Galaxy 2.

Of the newcomers, Poulter’s Adam Warlock is perhaps the most significant. The powerful superhero, who director James Gunn describes as “more of a traditional superhero – although hero might be pushing it” (via Entertainment Weekly (EW)) – was teased in one of Guardians 2’s post-credits scenes, but he’ll make his official debut here.

In the comics, Adam Warlock is an artificial, perfect human specimen created by a group of scientists known as the Enclave. After he rebels against his creators (and throws down with Thor), Warlock – simply referred to as “Him” in his early comic book appearances – encounters The High Evolutionary, who gives him the title “Warlock”. Adam helps The High Evolutionary save his artificially created planet – Counter-Earth – from the evil Man-Beast and receives the Soul Gem (where have we heard that name before, eh?) before departing. 

Adam Warlock’s comics history becomes somewhat complicated after that. For one, he helps the Avengers defeat Thanos, but he also has an evil version – Magus – who’s born after Warlock temporarily wields the Infinity Gauntlet. Given his ties to The High Evolutionary – more on him shortly – and how his origins have been retrofitted for the MCU (he’s created by Debicki’s Sovereign leader Ayesha in Guardians 2, not the Enclave), we suspect some parts of his comic history will be used in Guardians 3.

As for The High Evolutionary, he’s a genius-level geneticist who creates highly-evolved, anthropomorphic creatures and artificial worlds. As mentioned, he created the planet Counter-Earth and he’s the individual who experimented on Rocket (in the MCU, anyway), turning him from an ordinary raccoon into a bitter, cynical, gun-loving humanoid animal.

Even though he’s worked alongside superheroes in the comics, such as Adam Warlock and Thor, The High Evolutionary isn’t a good guy. He uses them as a means to an end – i.e. to protect his research and self-indulgent experiments – which makes him more of a villain. Chukwudi Iwuji, who’ll play The High Evolutionary, has described him as “sociopathic” and “narcissistic” (per Collider), and “extremely powerful” and “complex” (per The Hollywood Reporter (THR)). Unsurprisingly, he’s the main antagonist in Guardians of the Galaxy 3.

Potential cast spoilers follow.

Guardians 3 will pick up after their Disney Plus Holiday Special. (Image credit: Marvel)

Two actors’ roles are yet to be revealed. Daniela Melchior (The Suicide Squad) has signed on to feature (per Deadline), and MCU insiders have suggested she’ll voice Lylla, an anthropomorphic otter who Rocket falls in love with in the comics. We see Lylla in both teasers, so she’ll appear in Rocket’s flashback scenes. Don’t be surprised if she ends up dying, though, which would explain why Rocket is so misanthropic when we met him in Guardians 1.

Nico Santos (Superstore, Crazy Rich Asians) is also part of the cast (per Deadline), but nobody knows what role he’ll play. It’s possible he might voice a new character called Blurp, who we see Peter and Gamora protecting in the second teaser. James Gunn has confirmed this creature’s name on Twitter. Either way, we’ll find out when the movie’s out.

Guardians of the Galaxy 3 plot

The High Evolutionary will be Guardians 3‘s big bad. (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Here’s the official plot synopsis: “In 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.”

Not much to go on, then, but we have some idea of the plot, based on the Guardians’ MCU outings, the film’s trailers, and what the cast and crew have said.

First, Guardians 3 will be incredibly moving. Speaking to Collider, Gunn said “it’s different from what people are going to expect”. In a chat with EW, Gunn also said it’s the “hardest thing I’ve ever done”, adding: “This is where things really happen. This is where we get to know the truth about who these characters are, and we face the biggest stakes.”

Bigger stakes mean a more emotional journey for these characters – and the actors playing them. Saldaña told ScreenRant Guardians of the Galaxy 3 is a “bittersweet moment” for everyone involved, while Gillan revealed the film’s script left the cast in “floods of tears” (per Yahoo).

Thankfully, Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 won’t be an entirely somber affair. The threequel retains the self-deprecating humor that made the other films so enjoyable, with Gillan telling The Wrap: “There’s been way more improv for me this time around than I have ever given before. I don’t know if they’ll make the cut but I hope they do.”

Music lovers will be delighted to hear Gunn has put together another banging, licensed soundtrack for the Guardians’ potentially final hurrah. With Peter Quill gaining access to a Zune MP3 player at the end of Guardians 2, Gunn had free reign to add any number of songs to the film’s soundtrack, telling EW: “I worked twice as hard on this soundtrack as I did on both the first two soundtracks combined.”

So, where are the Guardians at when the movie begins? (Potential story spoilers follow). 

For starters, they’ve set up a safe haven for alien refugees on Knowhere, which was revealed in the Guardians’ Holiday Special. The group purchased Knowhere from the Collector after they parted ways with Thor in Love and Thunder. Cosmo has also joined the team in the interim period.

Quill/Star-Lord is still mourning Gamora, his former love, who was sacrificed by Thanos in Infinity War in exchange for the Soul Stone. However, thanks to Endgame’s time-travel-based events, a younger version of Gamora – an alternate timeline variant of the one Saldaña previously portrayed – is loose in the MCU, and Peter wants to track her down. 

We see him searching for her on the Milano’s computer at the end of Endgame and, as the trailers and first-look images reveal, the pair cross paths in Guardians of the Galaxy 3. Gamora will be reintroduced as the Ravagers’ new leader (per THR), which explains why Stallone’s Stakar and Rosenbaum’s Martinex are back. Expect sparks to fly, romantic or otherwise, between Peter and Gamora.

As for the “protecting one of their own” storyline hint, this has to refer to Rocket Raccoon. MCU fans might think The High Evolutionary is looking for Rocket for some reason, meaning the Guardians will have to protect him.

We’ll learn more about Rocket’s backstory in Guardians 3. (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

However, we actually think they need to keep Rocket safe from the Sovereign/Adam Warlock. Viewers will remember Rocket (and the Guardians by proxy) double-crossed the Sovereign in Guardians 2’s opening sequence. By the time that movie ends, the Guardians had escaped the Sovereign’s clutches, leading Ayesha to create Warlock to exact revenge on them.

Or so we thought. It seems the Sovereign enlisted The High Evolutionary’s help to create Adam Warlock, with the aim of sending him after Rocket and the Guardians. We suspect Warlock will attack Knowhere, but he’ll be unsuccessful in his attempts to kill anyone. That’ll lead Peter and company to track down The High Evolutionary – which is why they travel to Counter-Earth – to discover more about Warlock and stop him, Ayesha, and The High Evolutionary from killing them or, in the latters’s case, enacting some form of diabolical masterplan. Gunn has suggested Rocket is the “secret protagonist” of the Guardians franchise and that the third movie shows the “importance of Rocket’s character and who he is” (per EW). So it sounds like Rocket will play a major role.

Lastly, the big question on fans’ minds is: which Guardian could die? Rumors abound that Drax and Rocket are the most likely to perish, but MCU leaker Grace Randolph has claimed multiple death scenes were filmed to – ironically – stop the movie’s ending from being leaked. In short: just wait until you see Guardians of the Galaxy 3.

Guardians of the Galaxy 3: will there be another movie?

Will Adam Warlock join the Guardians of the Galaxy? (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Probably, but some individuals won’t return after the threequel.

For starters, Gunn isn’t helming any more MCU projects. He was confirmed as the new co-head of DC Studios alongside Peter Safran in October 2022, with the duo tasked with reviving Warner Bros. Discovery’s flagging DC Cinematic Universe (DCU). Meanwhile, Dave Bautista told GQ Guardians of the Galaxy 3 is his final outing as Drax, confirming what we heard back in 2021. 

It’s unclear which other main players will depart. Much will depend on how Guardians 3 ends, but it’s possible Rocket could leave for pastures new. That’s if he doesn’t die by sacrificing himself to save the Guardians and defeat The High Evolutionary. Meanwhile, if the 2014 version of Gamora doesn’t join the Guardians, Saldaña might call time on her MCU career, too.

Will Gamora stick around after Guardians 3? (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

We’d expect the Guardians to exist in some form moving forward. Klementieff told the D23 podcast that the franchise isn’t “over, but it’s going to be different”, while Pratt told Extra TV he doesn’t know if he’ll have an MCU future post-Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Speaking to Deadline, Gunn added: “It’s not ever going to be the same group of characters for a lot of different reasons. Who knows what will happen with the Guardians franchise in regards to future characters, but in terms of this group of characters, this is the end of their story.”

Adam Warlock has led the group in the comics so, if Pratt hangs up Star-Lord’s twin pistols and helmet (or if he dies), Warlock could lead the likes of Mantis, Groot, and Nebula in a new-look team. For his part, Poulter would “love to go on a journey” as Adam Warlock (per The Playlist). We’ll have to see what the future holds for the Guardians, but we’d be amazed if they aren’t part of the next two Avengers movies – The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars – at least.

For more MCU-based content, find out how to watch the Marvel movies in order. Additionally, read up on where we placed the first two Guardians films in our Marvel movies ranked article. 

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