James Gunn reveals The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special soundtrack list ahead of its release, featuring a number of recognizable beloved holiday songs and two new tracks created for the Disney+ special. The upcoming holiday-themed production is the second Marvel Studios Special Presentation, following Werewolf by Night. The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special sees Marvel's crew of cosmic heroes embark on an adventure to Earth. They hope that bringing some Christmas cheer to the stars could help brighten Peter Quill's (Chris Pratt) spirits as he grapples with the absence of Gamora (Zoe Saldaña) following the events of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.On social media, Gunn reveals The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special's soundtrack list ahead of the Special Presentation's release on November 25. Alongside familiar, well-known holiday favorites like The Pogue's "Fairytale of New York" and The Waitresses' "Christmas Wrapping," the special will also feature two new songs by the Old 97's, the original song "I Don’t Know What Christmas Is (But Christmastime Is Here)", and a new recording of "Here It Is Christmastime" that features guest star Kevin Bacon. Check out the full soundtrack list in Gunn's post below:Related: How Yondu Can Return In The GOTG Holiday Special (Isn't He Dead?!)

Why Music Plays Such A Big Role In James Gunn Projects

Star-Lord and Kraglin talking in Guardians of the Galaxy

Music is an intrinsic part of Gunn's work in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, with each film even featuring the naming convention of being titled "Vol." Within the narrative of the Guardians of the Galaxy series, music is a key aspect of Quill's character. The Awesome Mix compilations created by his mother Meredith (Laura Haddock) and the Zune left to him by adoptive father Yondu (Michael Rooker) were representative of both his connections to Earth and those loved ones. Gunn also revealed that each soundtrack's order is intentionally chosen to evoke the tone and flow of the story. Each chosen track helps provide a certain feeling to a scene, such as featuring a more pop-heavy song in lighter-hearted moments, or a heartfelt ballad in emotional scenes.

With music playing such a heavy role in Gunn's filmography beyond Marvel projects like The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, the director makes sure to incorporate his desired soundtrack into the earliest stages of his productions. Gunn has previously stated that not only does he handpick the film's soundtrack and write it into the screenplay, but he also works alongside composers to create musical cues within the score. Gunn even played The Suicide Squad's soundtrack on set when filming the 2021 DC Comics film, giving his cast a way to know the tone behind each scene. Gunn's choice of music has become a celebrated aspect of the director's filmmaking style, with each Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack reaching high positions on the Billboard charts upon release.

Despite its Disney+ release in the Marvel Studios Special Presentation format, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special promises to match Gunn's filmmaking style and priorities that can be seen in his previous Marvel films and the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. As both prior Guardians of the Galaxy soundtracks became popular among audiences, many dedicated fans of the filmmaker and franchise will likely appreciate the release of the official soundtrack ahead of the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special's release. Additionally, now any excited viewers can speculate how each song may be used within Marvel Studios' seasonal adventure.

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Source: James Gunn/Twitter

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