Marvel's The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special proves that the team will continue to be part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe even after James Gunn leaves. The special and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 are the end of this iteration of the Guardians team on several levels. It is expected that some of the main characters will die in the trilogy capper, while James Gunn is leaving the MCU after the movie to lead DC Studios. This has left the Guardians of the Galaxy's MCU future up for debate, but now Gunn has seemingly played a hand in telling audiences that Guardians of the Galaxy 3 will not be the end for the team.

The tease comes in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special's post-credits scene, which is a fun tag of Rocket, Groot, and Cosmo. The scene has Rocket mention that they need to make another special now, which should delight viewers given the reception to the first one. However, since James Gunn's MCU commitments end with Guardians of the Galaxy 3, any future specials involving the Guardians characters will not be done with his aid. As a result, the scene is a secret piece of evidence that proves Marvel Studios still plans to use the Guardians of the Galaxy team and any surviving characters even after James Gunn leaves.

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Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Can Set Up The Team’s MCU Future

GOTG Holiday Special Setup Guardians of the Galaxy 3

Guardians of the Galaxy 3 might be the last time audiences see Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, and Groot on the same team, but the movie is still expected to tease the Guardians' MCU future. James Gunn previously mentioned that the movie sets up the next 10-20 years of Marvel cosmic stories. He also mentioned that the script did not change despite various delays, meaning the important pieces setting up the future are still intact. Guardians of the Galaxy 3 could reasonably set up what comes next for the team, as Gunn can close the chapter on his trilogy while leaving Marvel Studios with a tease of the future.

There are already signs of how Guardians of the Galaxy 3 is setting up the team's future. The movie features Adam Warlock in a prominent role, and he could become the leader of the next team if Star-Lord dies or is no longer in the picture. The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special also teased Cosmo becoming part of the team, while cosmic heroes like Nova, Quasar, Moondragon, Phyla-Vell, and others could be included in cameos to set up their MCU futures.

Will The Guardians Still Work Without James Gunn?

It will not be a surprise for the Guardians of the Galaxy to remain in the MCU after James Gunn leaves due to the team's popularity, but whether they will still work without the director is unknown. There have been mixed results with the Guardians' other MCU appearances. The Russos and Taika Waititi both used them sparingly and leaned too far into the comedy. Gunn has always managed to keep the team funny but also filled with heart, as shown again in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. Marvel can either try and replicate this with the next Guardians team or use the new lineup to adjust audience expectations.

More: Marvel Just Made Guardians Of The Galaxy 3 Sadder Than Avengers: Endgame

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