Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Synopsis Reveals Rocket's Life Hangs in the Balance

As many expected all along, Rocket's life will be the one on the line when Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 enters theaters later this year. In a new synopsis released by the team at Marvel Studios and Disney, it's confirmed Rocket is the member of the team staring death in the face as a central plot point to the threequel.

"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," the synopsis reads. "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."

Is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 really the last one?

While it may not be—and probably isn't—the end of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise as we know it, a few actors have confirmed they'll be done with the property once Vol. 3 enters theaters. One of those actors is Dave Bautista, who's confirmed several times now he's parting from the role as Drax.

"I'm so grateful for Drax. I love him," Bautista told the magazine. "But there's a relief [that it's over]. It wasn't all pleasant. It was hard playing that role. The makeup process was beating me down. And I just don't know if I want Drax to be my legacy—it's a silly performance, and I want to do more dramatic stuff."

Who is the villain of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3?

The villain this time around is the High Evolutionary, a longtime cosmic baddie that experiments on humans, aliens, and animals alike in an attempt to create the perfect race. Within the MCU, breakout Peacemaker star Chukwudi Iwuji will play the character.

"The production is so big. James and I, we're picking up where we left off," Iwuji told Variety last February when discussing joining the Guardians sequel. "[The character] is very different from Murn. It requires different stuff from me. The way James works with me is pretty much the same, which is he trusts my choices – but at the same time when I give him a choice, he's ready to push it further. He's making me push myself. This character needs an extremism that I didn't need to really tap into in Peacemaker that I'm tapping into here. Our relationship remains the same, one of enjoyment, mutual love and trust."

The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, and the rest of the Guardians franchise, is now available exclusively on Disney+ while Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 hits theaters on May 5, 2023.

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