Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be unleashed upon cinemas in just a few short months, and yet we didn't know much about the upcoming Marvel sequel until now. From the short teasers and stills we've seen, it's been hard to pinpoint exactly what the plot is – but fortunately, Marvel has finally released the official synopsis.
"Our beloved band of misfits are settling into life on Knowhere, but it isn't long before their lives are upended by the echoes of Rocket's turbulent past," it reads, spelling bad news for Bradley Cooper's wisecracking raccoon. "Peter Quill, still reeling from the loss of Gamora, 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."
Following the release of The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special in November 2022, writer-director James Gunn explained how he used the Christmas-themed Disney Plus outing as a way to set up certain things for the big screen's third chapter.
"I [saw it] as an opportunity to introduce some elements into Guardians of the Galaxy, so I didn't have to explain them at the beginning of Volume 3," Gunn told Deadline. "I don't have to talk about where they got Knowhere from, or Cosmo being around Knowhere. I think you see what Nebula's role is in the group now: she's a leader to some degree. We see all these changes since we've seen them last."
Set after the events of Thor: Love and Thunder, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special see Drax (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) try to cheer up Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), as he struggles to move on from the death of his Gamora (Zoe Saldaña). After Kraglin tells the titular team a story about how Yondu ruined Christmas for Peter as a kid, the pair set out to find their depressed pal the perfect present – a mission that takes them all the way to Hollywood.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 opens on May 5, 2023. For more MCU goodness, check out all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows to look out for.
