Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is the third and final installment in the current Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. The team was first introduced to viewers in the 2014 original and has been an integral part of the MCU ever since, receiving a sequel and appearing in Avengers: Infinity War. The film is currently without a director or writer, but it is expected to have the main cast of Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, and Bradley Cooper (among others) return. Previously, it was said this would be the final film for this iteration of the Guardians

  • Release Date: N/A
  • Cast: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Pom Klementieff, Karen Gillan
  • Director: N/A
  • Writer: N/A

Last Updated: July 28, 2018

Which Cast Members Are Returning for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3?

All the Guardians of the Galaxy standing together in Vol 2.

This early in the production of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, it's tough to say which characters will return from previous films. Luckily, director James Gunn has long said the first trilogy will involve the core team before a new group takes over. That means Christ Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper will almost certainly be back. We've even heard Gamora will have a particularly large role, something fans of the character will be glad to hear considering how little she's had to do so far. Beyond the main give, it's also a safe bet that Karen Gillan will be back as Nebula and Pom Klementieff will reprise her role as Mantis—assuming they make it out of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers 4 alive.

Read More: Guardians of the Galaxy 3: Gamora Will Have ‘Significant’ Role

New Cast Members for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Adam Warlock and Guardians of the Galaxy Cocoon

Like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, there's a good chance the sequel will introduce some new faces to the MCU. We've heard the future of the franchise will see a new team following the conclusion of the trilogy, and there's a lot of cosmic characters that could include. One big name likely to appear is Adam Warlock. He was teased in last year's film and Gunn has never been shy about wanting to bring him to the big screen. What's more, but fans have been itching to see the hero come to life. Gunn says Warlock isn't a sure thing for the film, but he's discussed him quite a bit alongside characters like Quasar. One character we won't see, however, is Vance Astro.

Read More: Adam Warlock Not Yet Confirmed For Guardians of the Galaxy 3

James Gunn Was Fired From Guardians of the Galaxy 3

Filmmaker James Gunn has been the architect of the onscreen Guardians since the beginning, but the sub-franchise went through a major overhaul for the third movie. Disney terminated their business relationship with Gunn after old tweets from his past (which contained jokes about topics like pedophilia and rape) resurfaced. Gunn was set to write and direct Guardians of the Galaxy 3 for Marvel, but now he won't be involved. This was a major decision, as that movie was going to set up the next 10-20 years of the MCU and potentially launch a new cosmic corner of the universe.

Read More: What Happens to Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Without James Gunn?

The Story of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Chris Pratt as Peter Quill in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2

While we still have a couple of years to wait, Gunn is an avid social media user who regularly updates fans on the progress of his films. Because of the secrecy surrounding Avengers 3 and 4—not to mention Marvel Studios in general—there's only so much he can reveal. But we do know he's long since finished his initial script draft and he's teased all sorts of characters he's considering. What's more, but Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is said to set up the next 10–20 years of the MCU. It seems that whatever cosmic threads are teased in the next film will introduce a new era to Marvel's movies.

Read More: Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Will 'Set Up Next 10-20 Years of Marvel Movies'

The Guardians of the Galaxy In Infinity War

Avengers: Infinity War had a rather bold ending for the MCU, as Thanos accomplished his goal of acquiring the six Infinity Stones and wiped out half the universe's population. The Guardians saw a number of casualties during that movie, as everyone but Rocket and Nebula were among the dusted. Despite Marvel's best attempts to sell it, those deaths won't be permanent and they should all be back for the third installment.

Read More: Marvel Needs to Stop Lying About Infinity War's Deaths

The Trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

We learned recently that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is set to start filming in early 2019, which means we're not far away from learning a lot more about the movie. With the movie mostly taking place indoors, we won't get too many set photos, but there's a good chance Gunn will share plenty of behind-the-scenes looks at the film. The production start also means a May 2020 release is likely so a trailer could come as early as the end of 2019. We won't see anything big about the future of the MCU until after Avengers 4, but expect the first look at Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 to arrive shortly after that.

Read More: Guardians of the Galaxy 3 May Start Filming in Early 2019

The Poster for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Like a trailer, we're still at least a year away from a poster for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. With the movie likely filming around this time next year, we could see a poster just in time for San Diego Comic-Con in July of 2019. That would be the perfect time to get fans excited for the new movie, and we saw a similar move last year when promotion for Avengers: Infinity War began ahead of its release this May. Expect that same schedule to apply to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, as the franchise has become one of the MCU's biggest.

Read More: Earth-Based Heroes Are on the Table for Guardians of the Galaxy 3

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Takes Place After Avengers: Infinity War

The Guardians of the Galaxy on their ship in Avengers Infinity War

While Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 only took place a few months after the first movie, that won't be the case for the third one. When the team shows up in Avengers 3, it will have been 4 years since we first saw them. Hence, Baby Groot will now be Teen Groot and the Guardians will likely have a lot more history and baggage. There's a good chance Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will spend some time touching on the adventures they've had since their last film, not to mention all the developments that are bound to occur when Thanos comes to Earth.

Read More: Groot is ‘Coming of Age’ in Avengers: Infinity War

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Script Is Done

Prior to Gunn's firing, he revealed he finished the first draft of the screenplay. Now that he's no longer involved with the film, it seems unlikely Marvel will use Gunn's script, meaning a rewrite could be in order. No hires have been made on the front yet, so it remains to be seen who is brought on board.

Read More: James Gunn Finishes Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Script Draft

Awesome Mix Vol. 3

Guardians of the Galaxy Awesome Mix Vol 2 Fan Art

When it comes to a Guardians of the Galaxy film, Gunn has made music one of the most important aspects. Both soundtracks so far have been massive hits, and their usage within the film has helped it stand out from its peers. We've heard that Gunn has picked most of the Awesome Mix Vol. 3 songs already, but we've got a few suggestions for what should be included. And with Peter Quill gaining a Zune, he's got a lot more leeway when it comes to what songs will be included. In fact, it's said that Yondu will affect the soundtrack of the new movie as he got Quill the mp3 player in the first place.

Read More: What Songs Should Be On Awesome Mix Vol. 3?

More Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 News

Rocket’s MCU Origins Will Be Explored in a Future Movie

• James Gunn Says Disney/FOX Deal Won’t Change Guardians of the Galaxy 3

Other Upcoming Marvel Movies

Next: Every Upcoming Marvel Movie (2018 – 2020)