We have barely had any updates on it, but the trailer for James Gunn’s The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special has finally arrived, courtesy of Marvel Studios, which you can catch above.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is not the first time Marvel has experimented with the ‘A Marvel Studios Special Presentation’ format, releasing Werewolf by Night on Oct. 7, 2022, on Disney Plus. Werewolf by Night introduced Jack Russell (Gael García Bernal), Elsa Bloodstone (Laura Donnelly), and Man-Thing into the MCU, and based on the trailer it seems like The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is going to follow suit. Only instead of releasing a special in time for Halloween, this time they will be releasing a special in time for the holiday season.
The trailer shows the Guardians of the Galaxy go on a quest to Earth to try and bring back Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) a gift great enough to cheer him up because he is missing Gamora. While many of our favorite Guardians are back in the trailer, with Nebula (Karen Gillan), Mantis (Pom Klementieff), Kraglin (Sean Gunn), Drax (Dave Bautista), Groot (Vin Diesel), and Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper), returning in the film, it seems like the story might focus on Mantis and Drax going to Earth to find the gift.
The trailer reveals that they will be introducing new characters as well, with the appearance of Cosmo the Spacedog, and newcomer Kevin Bacon. In case you missed it Cosmo the Spacedog did have a cameo appearance in the original Guardians of the Galaxy, while it was revealed at San Diego Comic-Con earlier this year that Maria Bakalova would be voicing Cosmo in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. You might know Bakalova from Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, or Bodies, Bodies, Bodies. Kevin Bacon, on the other hand, has been an idol of Peter Quill’s ever since he saw Footloose before he was taken from Earth in Guardians of the Galaxy. The actor has been referenced throughout the MCU, inspiring the infamous dance-off with Ronan the Accuser, and is referenced by Mantis in Avengers: Infinity War.
Even though it has been five years since the last mainline Guardians of the Galaxy film, their presence has been felt throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe as they have appeared in two Avengers flicks, Thor: Love and Thunder, and of course, the Disney Plus shorts I Am Groot. Nevertheless, it will be nice to see a full-fledged adventure for the Guardians and it will be even better to see them not go up against a world-ending event, but instead come face to face with an A-class actor.
Catch The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special as it arrives merrily on Disney Plus on Nov. 25, 2022.