‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3’: Will Peter Quill Return to Earth for Christmas?
Guardians of the Galaxy is one of Marvel‘s most popular franchises. The series, part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, debuted in 2014 with Guardians of the Galaxy. The sequel dropped in 2017, and the characters have appeared in several other Marvel films, including the blockbuster Avengers: Endgame.
With the third movie set for release in 2023, fans eagerly anticipate the beloved series’ next installment. But they’ll have something else to enjoy before then. A new Guardians of the Galaxy holiday special has set the fandom ablaze.
Why do fans love ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ so much?
Guardians of the Galaxy became an immediate hit when it premiered in 2014. Fans reacted overwhelmingly well to the irreverent film, at times lighthearted, dramatic, and full of insider references to other Marvel films. The cast also helped make Guardians of the Galaxy one of Marvel’s biggest releases.
Chris Pratt is the series’ leading man, and as Star-Lord/Peter Quill, Pratt has found a whole new fan base. The franchise also stars Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Bradley Cooper as the voice of Rocket Raccoon, Dave Bautista as Drax, and Vin Diesel as the voice of Groot.
Guardians of the Galaxy packs plenty of comedic moments. But there are also heartfelt scenes between the characters, with an underpinning of real tragedy. Peter Quill lost his mother on Earth to cancer when he was very young. All of these elements have helped make Guardians of the Galaxy one of Marvel’s hottest properties.
What we know about the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ holiday special
In December 2020, Marvel shocked fans when it announced a Guardians of the Galaxy holiday special, Deadline reported. It’s scheduled to release in late 2022. Writer-director James Gunn, who has worked on prior films in the franchise, will return to helm the holiday special, premiering on the Disney+ streaming platform.
The producers haven’t released much else except that it will be filmed concurrently with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Still, fans have been speculating about the plot and recently took to Reddit to discuss their theories.
Fan speculation about the holiday special
Some fans on Reddit recently discussed how the third Guardians movie could tie into the holiday special. One fan surmised, “I’m still thinking/hoping it’ll be centered around Peter going back to Earth for Christmas, to see his grandpa … one last time.”
Another fan wrote, “Gunn said that Peter wanted to get off Earth as fast as he could after Tony’s funeral because he associates Earth with so many bad memories, but if there was one thing to get him to return, it’d likely be the last connection to his mother/old family.”
The fan continued, “[M]y guess is that Peter tries getting the rest of the Guardians into Christmas, starts reminiscing too much of Christmas back with his mom and Grandpa, and the Guardians decide to basically surprise Quill for Christmas by taking him to Earth, much to his shock and horror. Shenanigans ensue and all that.”
Ultimately, no one knows quite what Marvel has in store. But 2022 looks to be a great year for Guardians fans.
