Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Debuts as #1 Streaming Movie

The Guardians of the Galaxy returned to the big screen earlier this year, with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 becoming a smash hit in theaters. As newly-released Nielsen numbers reveal, the film has also been a success since it became available to stream on Disney+. According to the latest Nielsen ratings, which measure the week of July 31 though August 6, 2023, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 landed at the top of the charts. The Marvel Cinematic Universe threequel was streamed a total of 1.625 billion minutes in that week alone. By comparison, the second most-popular movie on the list was The Super Mario Bros. Movie with a total of only 717 million minutes.

"At the end of the day, this is a movie about joy & compassion & learning to see beyond the rim of our own worlds & having empathy for all living things,"  writer-director James Gunn wrote on social media upon the film's release. "Rocket's journey is my own & I'm so happy to have had him help me to learn to be a better person over the past 11 years – as have all of you. Enjoy the movie. We came into this saying "You're welcome" but now we'll leave saying "thank you.""

How Should You Stream Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3?

As Gunn revealed on Threads shortly after Vol. 3 arrived on Disney+, the version of the film that is formatted for widescreen best captures his vision for the film's visual aesthetic.

"The 'widescreen' version is mixed aspect ratio and would be my preferred way to watch in your home," Gunn wrote on Threads. "Lots of directors shoot in 2.35. Those sections in Vol 3 were composed for 1.90 and 2.35 respectively, and the changes come at specific points in the storytelling, so it's my preferred way of watching the film on TV. But it's fun to watch the different versions. I liked the 3D version too!" 

What Is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 About?

In Marvel Studios' Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 our beloved band of misfits are settling into life on Knowhere. But it isn't long before their lives are upended by the echoes of Rocket's turbulent past. Peter Quill, still reeling from the loss of Gamora, must rally his team around him on a dangerous mission to save Rocket's life-a mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.

Vol. 3 sees the return of Chris Pratt as Peter Quill / Star-Lord, Zoe Saldaña as Gamora, Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Pom Klementieff as Mantis, Vin Diesel as Groot, Bradley Cooper as Rocket, Elizabeth Debicki as Ayesha, and Maria Bakalova as Cosmo. Joining the cast are Will Poulter as Adam Warlock, Chukwudi Iwuji as the High Evolutionary, and Daniela Melchior and Nico Santos in currently-unknown roles.

What did you think of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3? How do you feel about its initial streaming numbers? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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