Guardians of the Galaxy 3 is going to save the MCU, apparently
Opinion: from universal outcasts to real-world rescuers?
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It’s official:Guardians of the Galaxy 3is going to save theMarvelCinematic Universe (MCU).
Well, that’s if you believe early reactions to the nextMarvelmovie, which arrives in theaters on May 5 (it launches May 3 in the UK and Ireland). According to some lucky individuals who attended the movie’s first public screening at a European gala event in Paris on April 22,Guardians of the Galaxy 3is the best Marvel movie sinceAvengers: Endgameand “completes the perfect MCU trilogy”.
Praise for theMarvel Phase 5movie has been so ahemuniversal, in fact, that Marvel Studios has wasted no time in patting itself on the back. Mere hours after the screening, a newGuardians 3promotional video appeared online – complete with attendees' quotes enthusing about the film – in a bid to further amp up anticipation levels among the MCU’s global fanbase.
Predictable as it is to see a studio hype one of its forthcoming theatrical releases, Marvel is clearly leaving no stone unturned in its bid to win back support from both MCU fanatics and casual cinephiles.
From poorly received movies – we’re looking at you,Thor: Love and Thunder, andAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania– to sexual assault allegations leveled atKang the Conqeurorstar Jonathan Majors, Marvel has been on the back foot for some time. The Disney subsidiary has also faced a backlash over its apparent treatment of visual effects (VFX) artists, which reached a crescendo around the August 2022 launch ofShe-Hulk: Attorned at Law.
Add in the public tit-for-tat with former executive Victoria Alonso after she was laid off over a supposed breach of contract (Marvel and Alonso has since settled out of court) andMarvel’s constant rejigging of its Phase 5 and Phase 6 slates–it’s reportedly only releasing two MCU TV shows in 2023rather than four – and the studio needs a big win from somewhere.
That’s whereGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3seemingly comes in. The niche comic book supergroup were a surprising choice for a Marvel movie when studio president Kevin Feige announced that a Guardians film was in development at San Diego Comic-Con in 2010. Since then, though, the loveable ragtag of outcasts have become a global phenomenon, with the two James Gunn-directed flicks cumulatively earning over $1.64 billion, and the Guardians having a huge say in the outcome ofAvengers: Infinity WarandAvengers: Endgame, two of thebest Marvel moviesof all time.
After a turbulent year, then, Marvel needs a highly anticipated film likeGuardians of the Galaxy 3to hold dominion over the box office as completely asThe Super Mario Bros. Movie– another Chris Pratt-starring movie, no less – currently is. Given the hugely positive reaction following the movie’s first public showing, Marvel will be feeling very confident about those chances, too.
Analysis: galactic saviors or a universal flop?
Marvel might want to rein in its financial expectations forGuardians of the Galaxy 3, though. After all, with superhero fatigue setting in for many cinema punters, plus the issues outlined earlier in this article, the MCU – while not in full-blown crisis mode yet – has undeniably hit the buffers.
So, willGuardians 3be the universal success Marvel needs it to be? Much will depend on its critical reception and word-of-mouth impact. Just look atAnt-Man 3, which was expected to be a colossal hit for the studio until critics rounded on it for being narratively baffling, visually overloading, and frenetically paced. Those are criticisms that MCU fans appeared to share when the flick was publicly released, too, withAnt-Man 3making more than $106 million globally during opening weekend, only to post a 69% drop – the second largest in MCU history – in ticket sales in its second week. Overall,Quantumaniawent on to secure a middling $474.4 million – a figure greater than just six of the MCU’s 32 other cinematic offerings.
Currently,Guardians 3is projected to earn circa $130 million in the US (perDeadline) – some $16 million less than its predecessor. Apparent industry insiders, such asViewer Anon, suggest sluggish advanced ticket sales could harm the film’s chances of reviving Marvel’s flagging fortunes (NB: pre-release ticket sales, which are usually snapped up by diehard MCU fans, aren’t a hugely significant indicator as to how well a Marvel movie will perform worldwide).
Then there’s the issue surrounding first reactions to a forthcoming film. It’s extremely rare that anyone – journalists, influencers, or general film fans – reveals if they disliked a movie before the official review embargo lifts. Those who post their thoughts about a new flick are, with the odd exception, glowing in their praise of said film. It’s all part of the hype-inducing movie release cycle, which sees movie goers incentivized by studios – i.e. being invited to see a movie early – in exchange for positively promoting that film pre-release.
Understandably, Marvel isn’t going to include negative reactions to one of its films in a promotional video. As such, reactions toGuardians 3are positively weighted, meaning you and I won’t know if it’s actually any good until a) official reviews are released and b) we have the chance to see it ourselves.
In short: the jury is still out on whetherGuardians of the Galaxy 3will save the MCU. If it doesn’t, Marvel will be relying on one of its two aforementionedDisney Plusshows –Lokiseason 2andSecret Invasion– or, perhaps unexpectedly,The Marvels(its final film of the year, which arrives on November 10) to reignite interest in its massively successful film franchise. Over to you, Star-Lord and company.
For more MCU-based coverage, find outhow to watch the Marvel movies in order. Additionally, find outwhich movies you need to stream beforeGuardians of the Galaxy 3arrives in theaters.
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As TechRadar’s senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You’ll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.
An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Tom also writes reviews, analytical articles, opinion pieces, and interview-led features on the biggest franchises, actors, directors and other industry leaders. You may see his quotes pop up in the odd official Marvel Studios video, too, such as thisMoon Knight TV spot.
Away from work, Tom can be found checking out the latest video games, immersing himself in his favorite sporting pastime of football, reading the many unread books on his shelf, staying fit at the gym, and petting every dog he comes across.
Got a scoop, interesting story, or an intriguing angle on the latest news in entertainment? Feel free to drop him a line.
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