Guardians of the Galaxy: Watch Order, Vol 4 News, Cast

James Gunn turned a group of Marvel’s most obscure villains into household names—and now, after the emotional curtain call of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in 2023, fans are left wondering what comes next. The franchise has no official Vol. 4 plans, its creator has decamped to DC Studios, and the original team lineup has said its farewells. This guide lays out the watch order, separates confirmed facts from rumors, and maps out where the Guardians stand in the MCU’s future.

Films Released: 3 · First Film Year: 2014 · Latest Film Year: 2023 · Lead Character: Peter Quill

How to watch Guardians of Galaxy in order?

Three films, one Holiday Special, and a handful of shorts—the Guardians content is manageable, but the release versus chronological question trips up even veteran MCU fans. Release order keeps things simple and mirrors the production timeline; chronological ordering matters more for Disney+ completists tracking the MCU’s broader timeline.

Release order

• Guardians of the Galaxy — August 1, 2014 (Rotten Tomatoes)
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 — May 5, 2017 (Rotten Tomatoes)
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 — 2023 (Inside the Magic)

Between Vol. 2 and Vol. 3, the Guardians appear in Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), and Thor: Love and Thunder (2022). The Guardians Holiday Special (2022) lands as Disney+ timeline’s 43rd MCU entry, after Werewolf by Night and before Vol. 3 (The Direct).

Chronological order

The MCU timeline places Guardians early—after Captain America: The First Avenger. The I Am Groot shorts slot before Vol. 2’s mid-credits scene; Groot’s First Steps drops before the main film, with subsequent shorts filling the gap. Release order mostly matches chronological for Guardians films, per Popverse.

Is Guardians of the Galaxy 4 happening?

Vol. 4 has no official greenlight. James Gunn left Marvel for DC Studios after Vol. 3, and Marvel has made no announcement about proceeding with a fourth entry. The mid-credits of Vol. 3 set up a new team lineup, suggesting the studio at least considered continuation—but that setup now hangs in limbo.

Current status

Reports confirm no official plans for Guardians Vol. 4 exist, with James Gunn now at DC Studios as co-CEO (The Direct). The Vol. 3 mid-credits scene confirms a new Guardians team—Rocket, Groot, Adam Warlock, Cosmo, and Kraglin—for legacy continuation (Inside the Magic). Speculation on Gunn returning has circulated due to Paramount-WB merger rumors, but that pathway remains unlikely for Vol. 4 specifically (Heroic Hollywood).

James Gunn comments

The original cast has addressed the question at panel events. Pom Klementieff, Sean Gunn, and Michael Rooker discussed Vol. 4 at Emerald City Comic-Con, with mixed openness to return (Heroic Hollywood). Sean Gunn stated he’d consider involvement depending on “who wrote that script and who was putting it together,” though he acknowledged major decisions sit “above [his] pay grade” (The Direct).

Who did Miley Cyrus play in Guardians of the Galaxy 3?

Miley Cyrus filmed a cameo role in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 that was ultimately cut from the final theatrical release. The actress played an unnamed character who did not make it past post-production editing (Inside the Magic).

Role details

Cyrus’s appearance marked a notable addition to the franchise’s tradition of high-profile cameos, following appearances by David Bautista and other surprise stars across the trilogy. The specific details of her character remain unconfirmed, with Marvel keeping the role under wraps even after the film’s release.

Why cut

Director James Gunn trimmed several cameo appearances during post-production to maintain the film’s narrative focus and runtime. While Cyrus’s scene didn’t survive final editing, her involvement signaled the cultural reach the Guardians franchise had achieved by its third installment.

Why is Chris Evans leaving Marvel?

Chris Evans concluded his tenure as Steve Rogers/Captain America after Avengers: Endgame (2019), choosing not to return for additional Marvel projects. Evans explained his departure reflected a desire to explore new creative territory after eight years portraying the iconic character.

Evans’ statements

Evans has been candid about the factors behind his Marvel exit. In interviews, he cited the emotional weight of the role, the commitment required across multiple films, and his interest in pursuing directorial work and varied acting roles outside the superhero genre.

Future returns

Despite his departure, Evans left the door slightly open for potential returns in specific contexts, though he emphasized such appearances would depend on the right story and creative circumstances rather than contractual obligations.

Where does Mantis stand in Guardians of the Galaxy?

Pom Klementieff’s Mantis evolved from a shy supporting presence into a fully actualized team member across three films. Her journey from Ego’s reluctant puppet to Rocket’s second-in-command mirrors the Guardians’ own growth from self-interested outlaws to a bound-by-loyalty crew.

Role details

Guardians Vol. 3 gives Mantis her most substantial arc yet—she assists Rocket’s team in rescuing young inmates from the High Evolutionary, demonstrating combat capability alongside her empathic powers. Klementieff has indicated the Guardians characters could surface in crossover films, noting they “could still appear in another movie… maybe like a big universe-bending crossover” (Comic Book Movie).

Vol. 3 contribution

Mantis plays a direct role in the film’s climactic rescue, no longer the tentative sidekick of earlier entries. Her empathic abilities—reading the High Evolutionary’s emotional state—become plot-critical rather than incidental. The character’s arc validates the trilogy’s thematic investment in found family and redemption.

What’s the biggest Marvel flop?

Guardians of the Galaxy stands among MCU’s success stories, but the franchise’s context matters for understanding its relative performance. The MCU has experienced box office variance across 30+ films, with some entries underperforming against studio expectations.

Box office metrics

Each Guardians film earned over $800 million worldwide—the Vol. 1 breakout in 2014, Vol. 2’s solid follow-through in 2017, and Vol. 3’s emotionally driven finale in 2023. This places the franchise among the MCU’s reliably strong performers, especially given the team’s secondary-tier comic status before Gunn’s films elevated them.

Guardians series performance

The Guardians contrast with MCU entries that faced theatrical challenges. The franchise succeeded by building distinct tonal identity—comedy-forward space opera—within a universe dominated by Avengers-level stakes. Rotten Tomatoes release date data shows consistent 2014-2023 availability across all three films.

Timeline

Three films across nine years—the Guardians timeline tracks both franchise milestones and MCU placement. The I Am Groot shorts predate Vol. 2; the Holiday Special bridges Thor: Love and Thunder and Vol. 3.

• August 1, 2014 — Guardians of the Galaxy released (Rotten Tomatoes)
• May 5, 2017 — Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 released (Rotten Tomatoes)
• 2022 — Guardians Holiday Special placed 43rd on Disney+ MCU timeline (The Direct)
• 2023 — Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 released; James Gunn departs for DC (Inside the Magic)
• Early 2026 (MCU time) — Vol. 3 set in present-day MCU (ScreenRant)

For fans who’ve followed the Guardians from 2014’s breakout to Vol. 3’s emotional send-off, the franchise’s uncertain future feels like a door left deliberately open. The original team got closure; the new team got a mission. Whether Marvel reopens that door—and when—depends on decisions that haven’t been made yet.

Related reading: Harry Potter films in release order · Back to the Future cast list

Frequently asked questions