December is coming, and you know what that means: another Marvel holiday special! After the success of the delightfully spooky Werewolf by Night, Marvel is ramping up for its next Disney Plus special presentation, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. Here’s everything we know so far!
Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special official trailer
The official trailer for the special has dropped, and it looks like the Guardians are in for a heartwarming, crime-filled Christmas. The trailer starts off with Kraglin and Mantis ruminating about how sad Peter Quill has been ever since he lost Gamora (twice, in fact—once when Thanos sacrificed her to get the Mind Stone, and again when the 2014 version of Gamora decided to bail on the Guardians and seek her own destiny). They wonder what they can do to cheer him up.
Then they realize that it’s Christmastime on Earth, so they decide to take him home and give him a Christmas present he’ll never forget: the one and only Kevin Bacon. You’ll recall that, as an ’80s kid, Peter loves Kevin Bacon in Footloose, and what better way to celebrate that love than by kidnapping the guy and holding him prisoner? The Guardians can’t see a downside to this plan, and I can’t, either.
Judging from the trailer, it looks like the action will mainly take place in Los Angeles, CA, with plenty of sightseeing, dancing, Christmas cheer—and, of course, felonies.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special cast: old, new, and missing
All the Guardians are returning for the Holiday Special—except one. Here are all the Guardians you’ll see in the special:
- Chris Pratt as Peter Quill, a.k.a. Star-Lord
- Pom Klementieff as Mantis
- Dave Bautista as Drax
- Bradley Cooper as Rocket Raccoon
- Karen Gillan as Nebula
- Vin Diesel as Groot
- Sean Gunn as Kraglin (formerly one of Yondu’s Ravagers, now a member of the team)
- Maria Bakalova as Cosmo the Space Dog
To our knowledge, Gamora (Zoe Saldana) won’t be appearing in the special. However, she is confirmed to appear in Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, in which Peter will reportedly try to convince her to rejoin the Guardians.
Finally, Kevin Bacon—yes, the real Kevin Bacon—is joining the cast as a terrified version of himself.
Is The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special canon in the MCU?
In August 2022, James Gunn, who has directed all the Guardians projects in the MCU, confirmed that the special is canon in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And that’s not all—Gunn even called the special “the epilogue of [the MCU’s] Phase 4.”
That means that the events in the special may be important to understand down the line. As if you needed another reason to watch it.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special release date
So when can you put on your holiday pajamas, make yourself some hot cocoa, snuggle up in a fuzzy blanket, and watch Kevin Bacon get kidnapped?
The special is coming out on November 25, 2022, which is the day after Thanksgiving in the United States. If you happen to be staying with your family, make sure they understand that getting an hour to watch this special is very, very important to you. After all, Peter Quill’s happiness is on the line!
(featured image: Marvel Entertainment)
