Before the pandemic upended everyone's lives, Marvel planned to kick off the MCU's Phase 4 with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. The pandemic hasn't been the only speed bump for Vol. 3. Marvel previously fired James Gunn from the project. Fan outcry led to their decision to rehire Gunn, but not before he agreed to take on The Suicide Squad for DC and Warner Bros. Now Guardians Vol. 3, which will soon begin filming, will close out Phase 4.
It makes sense for Marvel to use the Guardians to kick off the MCU's cosmic future because Vol. 1 was the first MCU film to really bring the "Universe" into Marvel's cinematic endeavors. Vol. 3 needs to wrap up all the loose Guardians plot threads while also setting up an expanding universe of heroes for the MCU's Phase 5. After two films about coming together as a family, Vol. 3 is likely going to split the Guardians apart.
Lots of Cards in Play
Vol. 3 has more riding on it than any of the previous franchise installments. It is essentially the sequel to two separate films at once. Vol. 3 needs to tie off plot threads from previous films and set up the future of the MCU while also being a good movie in its own right.
The Guardians haven't been seen in a film of their own since Vol. 2 dropped in 2017. Vol. 2 seemed to set up a whole array of plot threads for its sequel. The movie teased Adam Warlock and a reunion of the original Guardians of the Galaxy team, headed by none other than Sylvester Stallone. On top of that, there's still Peter Quill's part-Celestial powers to fully explore.
Our Guardians made their last on-screen appearance alongside the Avengers in 2018's Infinity War and 2019's Endgame. Those films saw Gamora first killed by Thanos, then brought to the present from an alternate timeline's past. Endgame left off with Peter Quill searching for the alternate Gamora and Thor deciding he would join the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Vol. 3's Plot
Marvel and James Gunn have been pretty tight-lipped about any plot details for Vol. 3. They haven't been entirely without mercy, though. Back in 2020, Gunn took to Twitter to answer some fan questions about the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. He gave some clues to Vol. 3's plot, specifically that Rocket and his origin would be a main focus for the film.
Gunn has been working on Guardians of the Galaxy since Vol. 1. All along he's planned the story as a trilogy, and he's said repeatedly that Rocket is the heart of his story. Gunn's admission that Rocket's origin will be central to Vol. 3 confuses more than it clarifies for fans rabidly tracking rumors about the film.
Rocket's origin has certainly been hinted at in the past, and the character himself has always been a central figure in the Guardians films, but his story is just one more plot thread that Gunn seems to be inserting into Vol. 3. Will Rocket's story hinder Vol. 3's ability to wrap up all the other loose threads? How can Vol. 3 do Rocket and the other Guardians justice while still setting up the MCU for an inevitable Phase 5?
The best thing Gunn can do for his final run on Guardians of the Galaxy is break up the band.
Why the Guardians Need to Split Up
At this point in the story, the Guardians are starting to drift apart. The Gamora who used to be a part of the team is gone, and Peter is preoccupied with tracking down the alternate timeline Gamora. Moody, teen-aged Groot is growing up fast and meeting new friends like Thor. Fan theories posit that Drax will spend Vol. 3 finding his daughter, and Gunn has said Rocket's story will tie into his origin.
The Guardians each have their own quests pulling them in separate directions. Vol. 3 could be about the Guardians needing to unify in the face of a new threat, becoming a family again in the process of saving the galaxy. That's more or less what already happened in Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. Repeating the formula wouldn't just be disappointing for fans, it also wouldn't help grow the MCU for Phase 5 and beyond.
It seems much more likely that Vol. 3 will be about the Guardians coming to accept that their paths are diverging. A "one last adventure" plot would give every character a chance to resolve their personal conflicts. At the same time, it could highlight new teams and duos for future MCU movies. This won't be the last time fans see Quill, Gamora, Groot, Drax, or Rocket, even if it is the last time they'll be together as the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Though it is no longer opening Phase 4, Vol. 3's original positioning strongly implies that Marvel sees it as an opportunity to set up what's coming in the MCU. Its new spot in the schedule gives Vol. 3 more freedom to give its core characters time to shine. Still, the best way for Vol. 3 to do justice to every character and give momentum to what's coming down the line is to split the team apart and explore everyone's individual stories and motivations.
An appearance from the Guardians in Thor: Love and Thunder will offer fans their first check-in with the team post-Endgame. Until then, we'll have to keep an eye on James Gunn's Twitter feed for more hints.