How The 'Guardians of the Galaxy 3' Production Start Date Impacts Its Release

Prior to last year's dismissal of James Gunn, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was set to start filming as soon as this year. Now, early reports indicate that the third Guardians film isn't set to start rolling until February 2021, just under two years from now. But what does the delayed production mean for the release of the film? First and foremost, a February 2021 production date all but guarantees that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 won't hit theaters until 2022.

As it stands now, Marvel Studios currently has three dates in 2022: February 18th, May 6th, and July 29th. Out of those three dates, the production start would hint that Guardians 3 will follow in the steps of Vol. 2 and fall into the May 6th release date, as previously speculated by analysts and fans alike. In fact, May 6, 2020, is nearly five years to the date that Vol. 2 hit theaters.

While Marvel Studios surely has a streamlined production process in place and could possibly make the February 18th date, the production house likely wouldn't rush to get it out. Though unlikely, Marvel Studios could also push Guardians 3 to the July 29th date, something almost certainly reserved for the biggest film on the studio's release slate. While the past two Avengers films have dropped in April, a late July date is prime for a massive summer blockbuster meaning it'd likely go to the next MCU team-up film — that is, of course, unless Guardians 3 is an absolute spectacle.

There's no indication what Gunn's script for Vol. 3 is going to tackle, though previous reports have mentioned the script is a tear-worthy heartbreaker. Gunn himself has admitted that the character he's closest to is Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper) and with his recent dismissal — and subsequent rehiring — the movie would could be a complex and poignant story should it follow Rocket on a path of self-discovery, especially in the wake of his development between two Guardians films and Infinity War.

Captain Marvel is now in theaters. Other upcoming Marvel Studios films include Avengers: Endgame on April 26th and Spider-Man: Far From Home on July 5th.

What do you think will happen in Guardians 3? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or join the conversation online by hitting me Up on Twitter at @AdamBarnhardt!

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