Credit: Marvel Studios The new Guardians of the Galaxy movie is almost upon us. Touted as the final installment in the fan-favorite series, James Gunn’s popular bunch of disparate misfits will take their last bow this May as part of Marvel Studios’ Phase Five.
While Gunn and other cast members have shared that this is the end of the road, Bradley Cooper’s exit as Rocket Raccoon has long been rumored. A new update gives more information on the film set to mark the acclaimed actor’s exit from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) will come six years after the group of space travelers was last seen in their own series. Led by Peter Quill, AKA Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), the Guardians of the Galaxy have been a staple of Kevin Feige’s MCU since 2014, when they appeared in their own self-titled movie.
Coming from the mind of director James Gunn, the Guardians returned in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) three years later before getting a starring appearance in Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and later in Avengers: Endgame (2019), Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022).
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The team has endured and fans will surely feel it when the characters make their last stand in May this year. It’s not all been sunshine and roses for the actors, though. Drax the Destroyer actor Dave Bautista has been vocal about his grievances with the Marvel character, speaking about things such as his failed character arc, the constant shirtlessness, and the heavy makeup. The wrestler-turned-actor has confirmed this is his last outing as the loveable warrior.
Gunn has also been loud about his exit and the exit of his team of misfits; the director confirmed the story is ending, at least for this current team of Guardians. As for other cast members, Bradley Cooper — who plays the wise-cracking Rocket Raccoon — has never explicitly stated he is stepping down. However, in an interview last year, the Academy Award-nominated actor said his acting future lies in projects he has either written or is directing.
These sentiments, teamed with the knowledge that the new Guardians of the Galaxy will have a focus on Rocket and his creation, have left audiences expecting the worst. The third Marvel movie will see the arrival of High Evolutionary, played by Chukwudi Iwuji, and finds Star-Lord’s team leaving their haven on Knowhere to protect one of their own.
Now, fans have an update that reveals more information about the film that is said to mark the exit of Bradley Cooper, and many of the other Guardians of the Galaxy.
In a new report, it has been revealed that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has a run time of 2 hours 29 minutes via a listing from Atom Tickets, making it the longest Guardians film ever and tying with Avengers: Infinity War from Marvel Phase Three.
This run time is not all that surprising, considering Gunn recently claimed the third outing was longer than both Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. The jaw-dropping length of the climactic Marvel story adds weight to the emotional send-off Rocket Raccoon and the rest of the Guardians are likely getting.
Related: Fans Declare ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ Boycott After Drastic Change Shatters Franchise
Could Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 save the MCU?
Marvel Studios’ record-breaking franchise has hit a bump in the road in the last few years. After so-called superhero fatigue rocked the industry and calls of CGI-heavy movies ruining the comic book movie experience, the latest Marvel release, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023), felt like it put the nail in the coffin. The Paul Rudd-led epic was widely panned upon its release and will go down in history as one of the worst MCU movies ever made — and that’s not an easy feat considering the franchise has endured for 15 years.
That said, anticipation is high for Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and the hard-hitting send-off that is likely to happen for this popular group of characters — even if it does mean that the odds point to Rocket Raccoon not making it out alive.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is scheduled to release on May 5, 2023, and will star Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Star-Lord, Zoe Saldaña as Gamora, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer, Pom Klementieff as Mantis, Vin Diesel as Groot, Bradley Cooper as Rocket Raccoon, Sean Gunn as Kraglin Obfonteri, Chukwudi Iwuji as the High Evolutionary, Maria Bakalova as Cosmo the Spacedog, Sylvester Stallone as Stakar Ogord, Elizabeth Debicki as Ayesha, Michael Rosenbaum as Martinex, and the MCU debut of Will Poulter as Adam Warlock. Also starring in undisclosed roles are Daniela Melchior, Nico Santos, and Asim Chaudhry.
Do you think Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be an emotional roller coaster? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!