Since 2007, the MCU has released over 30 titles. That is…a lot. Staying up to date with all the latest releases can sometimes feel like a full-time (albeit fun) job, so it can feel tempting to skip some of the ‘fluffier’ titles.
Well, no longer! Speaking to Comicbook.com, Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn has revealed that fans will need to watch the Holiday Special to find out what the Guardians have been up to for the past couple of years. Otherwise, there will be some key changes that you won’t understand when The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 comes out in May 2023—like a new ship and a new crew member.
“You’re obviously gonna learn a lot about where the Guardians have been in the past few years,” Gunn said. “You’re gonna see how they now inhabit Knowhere. They’ve got a new ship called the Bowie. They’ve got a dog part of their crew now, who has telekinesis, named Cosmo.”
The director also explained that the Holiday Special gave him space to include plot details that will become significant in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3.
“So, where you get to learn all that, and then there’s a couple of bigger pieces of spoiler-y lore,” Gunn said. “You’re gonna learn all of those things. In a way, the Holiday Special was a Trojan Horse for me to sneak in stuff that becomes important in Vol 3, so I don’t have to spend a lot of time at the beginning of that movie explaining it.”
So, to hit the ground running when the third Guardians of the Galaxy movie comes out next year, the Holiday Special has moved from being simple festive fun to a more integrated watch. This reflects how the Guardians themselves had a more central role during the Infinity Saga, rather than being isolated in space.
What’s more, this isn’t the first time that Gunn has highlighted that the Holiday Special is more than festive fluff.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special will be available to watch from November 25, 2022 on Disney Plus, giving you plenty of time ahead of Vol 3’s release date.
(featured image: Marvel/Disney)
