Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

The most unlikely hit of Marvel's string of hits, in retrospect, focused on the most unusual of families. With a rowdy and frequently emotional sequel that seems very much like a proper finale, "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" makes that point with great effect. This is mostly due to writer-director James Gunn moving his skills to competitor DC.

Marvel's "GOTG Vol. 3" combines visual excitement, recognizable characters, songs, and silliness with a darker thread that explores Rocket's origins and promotes animal rights.

Nevertheless, "Guardians" feels like a return to form on both fronts following some doubting about Marvel's invulnerability due to the underwhelming (creatively as well as monetarily) performances for "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" and to a lesser extent the "Black Panther" sequel. Give Gunn credit for bidding a loving farewell with both barrels blazing, even if it does close the books on this series, at least temporarily.

Staff:

Directed by: James Gunn

Written by: James Gunn

Based on: Marvel Comics

Produced by: Kevin Feige

Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Will Poulter, Sean Gunn, Chukwudi Iwuji, Linda Cardellini, Nathan Fillion, and Sylvester Stallone

Cinematography: Henry Braham

Edited by: Fred Raskin and Greg D'Auria

Music by: John Murphy

Production company: Marvel Studios

Distributed by: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Release date: May 5, 2023

Running time: 150 minutes