George Lucas views the Star Wars Holiday Special as a black mark against the franchise, and even throughout his constant tinkering with the movies over the years, he never once considered making it available on home video. However, that only saw it gain cult status among the fanbase, especially when Mark Hamill continues to apologize for it to this day, going so far as to request a presidential pardon.
The irreverent LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special, meanwhile, piggybacked off the original’s reputation to deliver a massively enjoyable and self-aware animated version for modern audiences, while Jon Favreau admitted that he’d love to mount a new live-action take. That might not end up happening, but the Marvel Cinematic Universe is now getting in on the act with The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.
It was announced that the festive Disney Plus exclusive will arrive in 2022 and is set to be filmed during production on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which is confirmed to hit theaters the following summer. James Gunn’s band of intergalactic misfits are the perfect stars of what promises to be a completely unique entry into the franchise, and the filmmaker recently took to social media and confirmed that unlike the Star Wars Holiday Special, his will be official MCU canon.
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Yesterday’s Disney investor call brought massive news surrounding the Mouse House’s upcoming slate, including plenty of surprises, but the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special has to be the most unexpected of them all. Plot details and the like remain under wraps, but seeing Star-Lord, Gamora, Groot, Mantis, Rocket and Drax starring in a Christmas-themed adventure that exists within the established framework of the MCU sounds so bonkers that it’s no doubt going to be essential viewing when it arrives on Disney Plus two years from now.