‘Jurassic Park’ Lego Special Coming to Peacock. Photo courtesy of Peacock.
It is 30 years since ‘Jurassic Park’ sent dinosaurs stomping all over cinema screens, and if you’re someone who saw the original movie in theaters upon release, allow us to commiserate on feeling a little closer to extinction right now.
Naturally, Universal has been celebrating that fact this year, with merchandise and re-releases of the movie into theaters.
And its streaming service Peacock is getting in on the fun, with a planned Lego special that is called ‘Lego Jurassic Park: The Unofficial Retelling’.
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What’s the story of ‘Jurassic Park’?
Jeff Goldblum as Dr. Ian Malcolm in director Steven Spielberg’s ‘Jurassic Park.’
We’re assuming there will be the typical Lego riffs on certain points and characters (as with the ‘Star Wars’ specials), but the phrase “re-telling” leads us to believe that it’ll roughly track the story of Steven Spielberg’s original blockbuster.
In case you’ve been stuck in the cretaceous period and are somehow unaware, ‘Jurassic Park’ is the story of a giant attraction envisioned by billionaire John Hammond (Richard Attenborough), who funds scientific research that invents DNA technology to bring long-extinct dinosaurs back to life. The dinos are intended to be kept safe on an island theme park for the public’s enjoyment.
To assuage the concerns of investors and his legal team, Hammond invites paleontologist Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and paleobiologist Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) to tour the facility alongside chaotician Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum). And to assess the reaction of his main target audience, Hammond has his grandchildren Tim (Joseph Mazzello) and Lex (Ariana Richards) along for the visit.
Thanks to a combination of corporate espionage and hurricane weather, things do not go exactly as planned… It starts with “ooh and aah”, but later there is running and screaming.
It seems unlikely that the original cast will return to voice the special, but you never know –– the poster features Goldblum’s Ian Malcolm (albeit looking more like he does in later movies), but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s lending his unique vocal talents.
‘Jurassic Park’ was a giant hit, and spawned two direct sequels, an entire follow-up trilogy (the ‘Jurassic World’ series of movies) and a T-Rex-sized batch of merchandise, theme park attractions and other spin-offs, including Netflix’s ‘Camp Cretaceous’ animated series.
We suppose a Lego special was really just the next logical step, given how many sets of the toys have been themed to the movie’s dino-tastic story.
Universal and Lego
(L to R) Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill), Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard), Owen Grady (Chris Pratt), Maisie Lockwood (Isabella Sermon) and Kayla Watts (DeWanda Wise) in ‘Jurassic World Dominion,’ co-written and directed by Colin Trevorrow.
It’s also been made possible because Universal scored the rights to make movies and TV shows with Lego projects back in February of this year and has a new ‘Lego Movie’ in development (the original few examples were released by Warner Bros.).
It all means that the characters and cameos won’t cross over into the new movie, though given that Chris Pratt also starred in the ‘Jurassic World’ movies, there’s a chance his character Owen Grady could show up in the film, even if he can’t play Emmett from the previous main ‘Lego’ titles.
We don’t yet know when the special will be on Peacock –– the service’s marketing simply says “Coming soon” right now. But since it’s part of the 30th anniversary celebrations, expect it before the end of the year.
‘Jurassic Park’ Lego Special Coming to Peacock. Photo courtesy of Peacock.
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Marvel Studio’s ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.
As moviegoers, we’ve long learned to wait around through and after the credits for Marvel films, which often tend to tease future stories or throw in an extra joke or two.
From the sounds of new statements made by writer/director James Gunn on the director’s commentary for ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’, the post-credit scene from the final part of his trilogy could serve as both.
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SPOILER ALERT here for anyone who has not seen the movie.
After the credits of ‘Vol. 3’ have rolled, we catch up with Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill (AKA Star-Lord), who at the end of the movie, announces that he’s leaving a life of high adventure in outer space to look up what remains of his family in Earth.
Rocking up at his grandfather’s (Gregg Henry) house, he has an emotional reunion with his one main living relative and is later seen sharing breakfast with the man (reading a newspaper whose front page boasts a story about Kevin Bacon’s experiences with alien abduction, a fun nod to the ‘Guardians’ Holiday Special‘ that Gunn shot around the same time as the new movie).
And following that? A title card that reads, “The legendary Star-Lord will return…”
Now, we’re sure many fans’ minds were turned more towards the idea that Quill will be back as part of one of the big MCU team-up movies (two ‘Avengers’ outings are on the way in 2026 and 2027) or possibly popping up to cameo in some other character’s film, as he and some of the other Guardians did in ‘Thor: Love & Thunder’.
Yet Gunn’s words point towards a Star-Lord stand-alone.
What did Gunn say about the potential spin-off?
(L to R) James Gunn and Chris Pratt attend the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood CA on Thursday, April 27, 2023. Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages.
“We always want to give somebody a little something special. And Chris and I, forever, have talked about how great it would be to be able to do a ‘Legendary Star-Lord’ movie, a story with Star-Lord on Earth trying to adapt to the environment of Earth in the same way that somebody else might try to adapt to the alien environment of outer space. He’s a fish out of water in just kind of regular water. So, I can’t wait to see it.”
Writer and director James Gunn at Los Angeles premiere of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’
It’s key there that Gunn says he can’t wait to see it rather than make it. Which would make sense since he’s a little busy for the foreseeable future. Gunn is co-chief of DC Studios, overseeing (alongside producer Peter Safran) Warner Bros. Discovery’s DC Comics-based movie and TV output.
As for who might take up the mantle of a Star-Lord movie, that’s a mystery for now. And we’d stress that Marvel has made no official announcement of any future ‘Guardians’ films or spin-off, so despite the source, treat this one as still a rumor for now.
(L to R) Writer and director James Gunn and Chris Pratt from ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3.’
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Witten and directed by James Gunn, the Sci-Fi action adventure comedy ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ is scheduled for release from Marvel Studios on May 5th 2023.
The film is set after the events of ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ and ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’, where we find the band of misfits in their new home on Knowhere. Unexpectedly, a new powerful enemy crashes in and injures Rocket, and if the Guardians don’t act fast enough, it could mean life or death for their teammate.
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The official synopsis for ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ is below:
“In Marvel Studios ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ our beloved band of misfits are looking a bit different these days. Peter Quill, still reeling from the loss of Gamora, must rally his team around him to defend the universe along with protecting one of their own. A mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.”
‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ opened in theaters on May 5th, 2023, to $118.4 million domestically and has grossed over $348.5 million since its opening. Worldwide box office earnings have grossed over $825.3 million since its release. This was a highly anticipated film among Marvel fans and is certified Fresh on aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, with an 82% score from critics and a 94% score from the audience.
The team faces brand new threats in this movie, with the stakes being higher than ever when it involves one of the members of the team. Still recovering from his heartbreak and loss of Gamora, Peter Quill and his band of misfits are settled in on Knowhere when Adam Warlock crashes in.
Adam Warlock has long been teased to appear in the MCU since ‘Thor: Dark World’ and the first ‘Guardians of the Galaxy.’ However, it was in the post-credit scene in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol 2’ that confirmed his appearance. Played by Will Poulter, the MCU’s Adam Warlock origin differs from the comics. Instead of being created by scientists, Adam Warlock in the film is a Sovereign warrior created by the high priestess Ayesha and The High Evolutionary.
The film also introduces The High Evolutionary (played by Chukwudi Iwuji) to the MCU. A geneticist whose personal mission is to create the perfect species, he abducted various creatures for his experiment, with Rocket Raccoon (then named 89P13) being one of his test subjects. When Rocket points out the flaws in The High Evolutionary’s project, it confuses and angers him to the point where he orders Rocket’s brain to be removed so that he can study him.
Rocket manages to escape. Years later, when The High Evolutionary learns of his involvement with the Guardians of the Galaxy, he orders Adam Warlock to retrieve him at all costs.
When it comes to the Guardians of the Galaxy, we know we’re in for a grand space adventure, with hilarious banter between the Guardians. However, ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ takes on a more somber and emotional tone. With director James Gunn being the co-chairman of DC Studios, this is likely the final film he’ll direct for Marvel. This movie not only wraps up the adventures of the current team of the Guardians, but it also dives into the origin story of Rocket.
Previously named 89P13, Rocket Raccoon is subjected to tests and experiments by The High Evolutionary. In flashback scenes, we meet Rocket’s fellow cagemates Floor, Teefs, and Lylla. The four friends found comfort in each other, often playing games and daydreaming about the “forever and beautiful sky.” The message of animal cruelty is not missed in the film, and what The High Evolutionary does to Rocket and his friends will send a shock through your system and gives you an insight into some of Rocket’s hardened personality.
Though the Guardians tend to bicker with each other, the group has become quite close-knit. Once Rocket’s life is on the line, his friends will stop at nothing to save him, even if it means sacrificing themselves. Rocket is definitely the heart of this story and we suggest you have some tissues on standby when you watch.
Where Can I Watch ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’?
(L to R) Karen Gillan as Nebula, Chris Pratt as Peter Quill / Star-Lord, and Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.
The film premiered at Disneyland Paris on April 22nd, 2023. Later, the US premiere was held at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, California, on April 27th, 2023. The movie is still showing in theaters, so be sure to check with Moviefone below for showtimes in your area. ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ has a total runtime of 2 hours and 30 minutes, making it the longest film in the Guardians franchise.
Watch the official trailers for ‘Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3’ below:
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Can’t make it out to the theater? You will soon have the option to rent or purchase the movie on VOD. Services such as Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, and Movies Anywhere will have the movie available digitally on July 7th, 2023.
As for as streaming goes, an official date hasn’t been confirmed. The movie is released by Disney so it is likely to end up on Disney+ once it is ready to go to streaming.
For those who prefer physical copies, ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ will be available on DVD/Blu-Ray on August 1st, 2023, complete with special features such as featurettes, deleted scenes, director’s commentary, and gag reel.
To watch our exclusive interview with writer/director James Gunn and Chris Pratt about ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3,’ please click on the video player below.
Director James Gunn and the cast of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ at the world premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood CA on Thursday, April 27, 2023. Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages.
When the movie opens, 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 (Chris Pratt), still reeling from the loss of Gamora (Zoe Saldaña), must rally his team around him on a dangerous mission to save Rocket’s (Bradley Cooper) life — a mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of attending the global virtual press conference for ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ along with several other members of the press. In attendance were James Gunn, Chris Pratt, Karen Gillan, Sean Gunn, Will Poulter, Chukwudi Iwuji, Pom Klementieff, Maria Bakalova and President of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige.
Here are the 10 things we learned from the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ global virtual press conference:
1. James Gunn Will Miss Working on the Movies
Writer and director James Gunn at Los Angeles premiere of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’
James Gunn: I think it’s changed me in so many ways. I mean, everything I’ve learned from Kevin and Lou (executive producer Louis D’Esposito). I think also, in terms of just this family of people, I’ve been really good at hiring non-jerks. Not only non-jerks, but people who are actually positive, compassionate, loving, kind people. And so, I’ve just grown incredibly close to these people. I really love them. And it makes making movies a much more pleasant experience. So, my main memories are not going to the premieres or, you know, going on these press junkets. It’s being on set and having the little moments. It’s doing bits with Chris in between sets. It’s, talking to Sean. Watching Chuk turn in an amazing performance. Goofing around with Pom, wondering what the hell she’s talking about. I’m gonna miss the characters. That’s the saddest part for me, is I really, truly love these characters. I love all of them. I think there’s certain ones that I have a special fondness for, especially Rocket. And yeah, the saddest part of all of this. I’m gonna see all these people again. They’re all friends of mine. But I’m not gonna see the characters. I’m not gonna be writing the characters again, at least not in the near future. And so, that’s a real sadness.
2. Chris Pratt Says We Find His Character in a Bad Emotional Place
Marvel Studio’s ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.
Pratt talked about how Peter “Star Lord” Quill is still recovering from the losses he’s suffered.
Chris Pratt: I think, oftentimes, we find ourselves in our relationships or in the affiliations we have with a team or a family or whatever. And he has been lost. So, yeah, in the beginning, he was running away from the death of his mother, but he got to pretend to be this character based on these pop culture icons of his childhood of the late-’80s. And so, he was dancing around, but all of that was really, he had found himself there. But it was kinda B.S., you know? And then he found himself with the Guardians of the Galaxy. And then he thought he could find himself with who his father was. So, he’s a guy who’s constantly been searching for who he is. And then he found it again in his relationship with Gamora. And so, when that’s stripped away from him, he’s a guy who’s realizing that all of these various people that he’s found that are Quill, none of them have been the real him. And so, he is, he’s lost. And that probably does mean that he’s sad.
3. Kevin Feige Says ‘Vol. 3’ is Different From Other Marvel Trilogies
Kevin Feige at the world premiere of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3’ at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood CA on Thursday, April 27, 2023. Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages.
The Marvel boss explained the thinking behind the new movie.
Kevin Feige: We’ve had trilogies before. We’ve had a number of them, actually. And I was thinking, why does this feel so different and so much of a passage of some sort? And it’s because Guardians really was the first movie that was completely outside of the realm. It tied in with Thanos and Infinity Stones. But The Avengers were not in it. And we weren’t setting up Tony Stark’s next adventure, or Captain America. And it was really our attempt of saying, we don’t wanna just do superhero movies. We don’t want to just do ‘Iron Man‘ movies or ‘Avengers‘ movies. And we wanted to do a big space movie. And it worked in a crazy way. It worked entirely because of James Gunn. So, it just feels like this trilogy, and James writing and directing all three of them, it represents something unique within the pantheon of the MCU, that I’m very proud of.
4. Pom Klementieff Explained the Differences Between the Comic-book Mantis and the Movie Version
(L to R) Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer and Pom Klementieff as Mantis in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.
Mantis, the emotion-and-memory manipulating character we met in ‘Vol. 2‘ has changed a lot from the comic book version.
Pom Klementieff: I think it was so interesting to give a different version of Mantis. I mean, in the comic books, she was great, too. She was, like, very powerful. But kinda similar to a lot of other female characters in the Marvel universe or in other superhero movies. I think it was so interesting to give a different take on a female character and make it give more comedy and more awkwardness and something different.
James Gunn also talked about the character.
James Gunn: I think it’s also cool to have somebody who their superpower is empathy. It is feelings. Emotions are so important to Mantis. And we’re so used to this very male, hardcore, macho, shooting rays out of their arms, or throwing automobiles and shooting people.
5. Sean Gunn on Kraglin Finding His Place Among the Characters
Gunn (brother to James), who plays the Ravager-turned-Guardian Kraglin, explained how his character’s journey mirrored his own.
Sean Gunn: I think that, just like all the Guardians, Kraglin had to figure out what his place in the family was. And one thing that really impresses me about the movies is how I do feel, in a way, that the journey of the cast has mirrored the journey of the characters, in a way. And that for me, being there in the first movie and feeling like, ‘oh, I’m the director’s brother and I’m here and I’m kind of on the outside.’ And Kraglin is just on the peripheral, and he comes in and says his things here and there. And then learning that, over the course of the movies, that I felt as much at home with all these people, that I felt fully accepted and a full member of the cast and of the group.
6. Kevin Feige Talked About the Challenges of the ‘Guardians’ Movies to Begin With
(L to R) Zoe Saldaña, Chris Pratt, Rocket, Dave Bautista and Groot in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy.’
He was, he says, “nervous” about tackling the characters, but had faith in Gunn.
Kevin Feige: It always makes me nervous. But the goal has always been to do justice to the audience members who have loved these characters their whole lives, and to audience members who’ve never heard of these characters, or who heard of them for the first time in the trailer or in the poster. Which, for ‘Guardians’ in particular, was certainly the majority of the audience. Now on the flip side of that, there are people who go, “Well, people don’t really know the Guardians, so you really have a lot of leeway to do new things.” Which you do, but James was constantly going to the comics and constantly referring to the comics and constantly building off of the storylines. So, people who did know these characters from the more recent run at the time, or the early run, saw things they could get excited about. And just as important, people who never heard of this crazy spaceman with a tree and a raccoon.
7. Maria Bakalova Loves Playing Cosmo the Space Dog
Maria Bakalova and Cosmo the Spacedog at the world premiere of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3’ at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood CA on Thursday, April 27, 2023. Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages.
The ‘Borat’ sequel star brought the canine character to life on set via Performance Capture
Maria Bakalova: When I was auditioning for the part, I was, “How can I play this?” And it was so interesting, because you can make it be a little bit more over the top, because she’s a puppy and she has more energy. And then, when I found out that I can be on set, actually, and work with a mo-cap suit, and imagine that I’m a child again and use my imagination to be like, “Okay, today I’m going to be a dog. Tomorrow I will be a flower. The next day, I’m going to be a butterfly.” It’s interesting, we tend to forget about imagination when we grow up. And it’s been just incredible.
8. James Gunn Has A Policy for the Music in the ‘Guardians’ Movies
‘Vol. 3’, like its predecessors is full of great tunes. And Gunn curates his soundtracks carefully.
James Gunn: I want to give good music to people by good bands! And I snuck a couple of favorites in there. I snuck my friends, you know, The Replacements in there. I snuck Alice Cooper, my hero, in there. When I’m writing, I put the music in along with the script. I write it in. But sometimes I change it. Sometimes on this, it was very difficult choosing the music for this movie because in the first two movies, they were basically all am ‘70s pop hits. In this one, it takes place after Yondu (Michael Rooker) gives Peter Quill a Zune at the end of the second movie. And it’s music from the ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, 2000s. I could choose from anything. So, it was very difficult because of that.
9. Pratt Would Happily Make More Movies with James Gunn
(L to R) James Gunn and Chris Pratt attend the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood CA on Thursday, April 27, 2023. Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages.
While Gunn might not be making any more ‘Guardians’ films, Pratt still wants to work with him.
Chris Pratt: First of all, I’d jump at the opportunity. Making movies is really fun. When you get to do it with people that you love, it’s even more fun. That’s the journey, right? The destination, it sometimes sucks. You have this great time with all your friends, and you get together and you work hard. And then you see the movie and you’re like, “Boy, that movie sucked. But, hey, that was a lot of fun to make it.” With James, it’s been both the journey and the destination have been glorious. The films are incredible. I don’t know how he does it. And so, just selfishly, I’d be willing to deal with a terrible journey to get to this destination.
10. Karen Gillan Enjoyed Nebula’s Character Development
(L to R) Karen Gillan as Nebula and Zoe Saldaña as Gamora in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.
Nebula has evolved from an antagonist in the original movie to a key member of the team here.
Karen Gillan: It’s been beautiful to see. Nebula was always the kind of bitter one. So jealous of Gamora. And then, she evolved and Gamora kind of helped her gain some compassion along the way. And now they’ve switched places in a way. Which has been really interesting to play around with. But yeah. It’s been really beautiful to watch their relationship evolve and become what it is. It’s been amazing.
The cast of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ at the premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood CA on Thursday, April 27, 2023. Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages.
Other Movies Similar to ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3:’
Witten and directed by James Gunn, the Sci-Fi action adventure comedy ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ is scheduled for release from Marvel Studios on May 5th 2023.
After an attack from Adam Warlock (Will Poulter) injures Rocket, the Guardians learn of his origins and confront his creator, the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji). Meanwhile, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) is still coming to terms with the “new” Gamora (Zoe Saldaña), who is now a Ravager. In order to save their friend, the Guardians must go on a dangerous mission that could lead to the team dissolving if they fail.
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Who is in the cast of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3?’
Joining the cast are actors Chukwudi Iwuji (‘Peacemaker‘) as the High Evolutionary, and Will Poulter (‘We’re the Millers‘) as Adam Warlock.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with writer and director James Gunn and Chris Pratt about their work on ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3,’ telling Rocket’s story, what the franchise has meant to Pratt, and what fans can expect from the new film.
(L to R) James Gunn and Chris Pratt attend the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood CA on Thursday, April 27, 2023. Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview with Gunn and Pratt.
Moviefone: To begin with, James, what would you tell fans sitting down to watch this movie now to prepare them for the theater experience they are about to have?
James Gunn: I know so many of you have grown up with ‘Guardians of the Galaxy.’ So many of you have seen and supported us over the years. We’re so grateful to you for that and we really put our hearts and souls in this movie. We put in every ounce of everything we could, and I hope you guys enjoy it from the bottom of my heart.
Marvel Studio’s ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.
MF: Chris, what would you say to the fans to get them ready for this movie?
Chris Pratt: First of all, I’d say thank you. Thank you. You sitting down in these seats right now are the reason the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ are the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy.’ We’ve been able to full on live our dreams because of the support of the greatest fans in the world. Thank you so much. We really owe it all to you. James is extraordinary. He’s led me on this journey and he’s created what I think is the best of the three films. Buckle up and I hope you have some tissues nearby.
MF: James, can you talk about the decision to tell Rocket’s origin story in this movie and how his journey is the heart of the franchise?
JG: I’ve always thought of Rocket as sort of the heart of the ‘Guardian’s story. In a lot of ways he’s the least mature of the characters, he’s just been a very angry guy. I think that throughout the series we see characters do heroic things. Rocket does heroic things, but it’s only been for himself or for his friends. He doesn’t really have a sense of empathy for anyone beyond that, and this is a movie about how he became that way. We go back to where he was born, how he came about, how he was created by the High Evolutionary, and we learn everything about him and his tragic past.
(L to R) Karen Gillan as Nebula, Chris Pratt as Peter Quill / Star-Lord, and Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.
MF: Finally, Chris, can you talk about your ‘Guardians’ experience, what playing Star-Lord, working on this franchise, and creating friendships with the cast and James has meant to you?
CP: It’s just now starting to hit me how grateful I am to have had a friend in James. It’s been amazing. He’s made my life. He’s changed my life. He’s changed the life of me and my family, my children, and probably their children. He took me by the hand. He found a working actor who had already at that point done way better than most people who come out to town. I wasn’t a waiter any longer, I was a series regular on a show. I was getting recognition. He brought me to a whole new level that ultimately changed the entire way the industry saw me. I no longer was auditioning. That was the last audition I ever had. So he changed my life.
(L to R) Writer and director James Gunn and Chris Pratt from ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3.’
Other Movies Similar to ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3:’
Witten and directed by James Gunn, the Sci-Fi action adventure comedy ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ is scheduled for release from Marvel Studios on May 5th 2023.
(L to R) Karen Gillan as Nebula, Chris Pratt as Peter Quill / Star-Lord, and Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.
After an attack from Adam Warlock (Will Poulter) injures Rocket, the Guardians learn of his origins and confront his creator, the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji). Meanwhile, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) is still coming to terms with the “new” Gamora (Zoe Saldaña), who is now a Ravager. In order to save their friend, the Guardians must go on a dangerous mission that could lead to the team dissolving if they fail.
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Who is in the cast of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3?’
While it’s not a perfect movie, James Gunn finishes his trilogy off with a heartfelt love letter to the franchise, in a character-driven movie that ties up loose ends and brings many arcs to a close. The actors are given room to explore their characters, and the villain is strong, but make no mistakes … this is Rocket’s movie!
Writer and director James Gunn at Los Angeles premiere of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’
Story, Direction and Visual Effects
Full disclosure: I love the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ movies, in fact, they’re both in my top ten of MCU movies. But ‘Guardians 3’ is different than the previous films, its somber, character-driven, and darker, while still having James Gunn’s signature weirdness, humor, and music. The story ties up all the loose ends of the trilogy, including Quill and Gamora’s relationship, but really takes time to explore all the core characters, especially Rocket.
Obviously a lot of time is spent on Quill, Gamora, and Rocket, but Drax, Mantis, Nebula, Groot, and even Kraglin are all given their time to shine. The movie starts off slow and somber, and drags a bit in the middle, but has a very touching and action-packed third act. James Gunn clearly has an affection for this trilogy and these actors, and it shows in the film which is really a love letter to them.
For the most part, the visual effects work, and the colorful costumes and creatures are interesting and fun. But I do question the odd flesh-colored uniforms that the guards (including Nathan Fillion) wear at the High Evolutionary’s headquarters. They were just a little too weird and goofy for me, and distracted from the story.
Make no mistakes … this is Rocket’s movie! The film actually takes place in two timelines, flashing back throughout the movie to tell Rocket’s origin story. Over the course of the previous ‘Guardian’ movies and his appearances in ‘Infinity War’ and ‘Endgame,’ Rocket’s become my favorite Marvel character and his story arc here is extremely touching. He’s the heart of the movie, and exploring his past while saying something about animal cruelty was both smart and affective. Some of the creatures we meet in his past are very creepy, but again, the message is not lost. While it’s only a voice role, Bradley Cooper’s “Gilbert Gottfried meets Bill the Butcher” performance has brought the character to life and his work here is touching, emotional, funny and makes Rocket a stronger character.
Marvel Studio’s ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.
Chris Pratt is given a lot more emotional work to do with Quill this time around, and handles it well, especially his scenes with Gamora. Zoe Saldaña returns as the ‘Avengers: Endgame’ version of Gamora, allowing the actress to play a new character, in a sense. When the original Gamora died in ‘Infinity War,’ I was really sad to see her go because she had grown so much since the original film and I loved her relationship with Quill, but the new Gamora had really grown on me by the end of this film, thanks to Saldaña’s layered performance.
In a movie with so many characters, it’s easy for some to get lost in the shuffle and not get the screen time they deserve, but the movie balances the characters well and gives them all a moment to shine. Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, and even Sean Gunn, are all given time to explore their characters and grow through the course of the movie. As for Groot, he’s not a kid anymore and like Rocket, also has a great arc over the course of the trilogy, and surprisingly, Vin Diesel gets to do a little more in this movie than just say: “I Am Groot.”
Chukwudi Iwuji plays the High Evolutionary and is actually a pretty good Marvel villain. I found the performance menacing and effective, even though his ultimate evil plan is confusing at times. But his motivations and hubris made the character believable, and Iwuji gives a fun, if not over-the-top at times, performance.
Chukwudi Iwuji as the High Evolutionary in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.
Is Adam Warlock a Good Guy?
Yes and no. He’s an unwilling villain in the beginning, but has a change of heart over the course of the film, which I must say is paced well and is ultimately effective. But to be honest, I didn’t like the way the character was depicted, and didn’t care for Will Poulter’s performance, although it’s through no fault of his own. In the film, the character is the son of ‘Guardians Vol. 2’ baddie Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki), and is depicted as a brainless, bratty mama’s boy, and while the characterization gets a few laughs, it didn’t work for me knowing the character’s importance in the comics. Poulter physically transformed to play the role, and looks great, but for me, the character and performance just didn’t work.
(L to R) Will Poulter as Adam Warlock and Elizabeth Debicki as Ayesha in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.
Are There End-Credit Scenes in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3?’
Yes. There are two in fact. The first sets up a possible future for the franchise, beyond the current lineup, and the second would set up a spinoff of sorts for one of the main characters. Both scenes are ‘Guardians’ centric and do not hint to any other upcoming MCU projects.
Will There Be a ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 4?’
That’s hard to say at this time. James Gunn certainly is saying goodbye to the franchise, as he’ll be busy in the near future working on ‘Superman: Legacy’ and running DC Studios. As previously mentioned, the first end-credit scene does hint at a possible future installment, and the team teased for that is incredibly intriguing. As is the possibility of the spinoff teased in the other end-credit scene, with a character that is strong enough to carry their own film franchise, or at least a Disney+ series. Whether or not we will see any of the other Guardians in future Marvel projects, is anyone’s guess.
Vin Diesel as Groot in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.
Final Thoughts
In the end, ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3’ is not a perfect film, and in some ways is not quite as fun as the previous two movies, but is a very loving sendoff to the current team and a dark and emotional look at these beloved characters.
‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3’ receives 8.5 out of 10 stars.
Marvel Studio’s ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.
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Witten and directed by James Gunn, the Sci-Fi action adventure comedy ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ is scheduled for release from Marvel Studios on May 5th 2023.
There is a great movie a little cynically based on a famous IP that features the voice of Chris Pratt. Unfortunately for this, it’s called ‘The LEGO Movie’, which took the basic building blocks of the popular plastic toy, and in the hands of Phil Lord and Chris Miller (plus a lot of other talented types) became a wild and dazzling mix of knowing pop culture gags, smart goofiness and genuine heart.
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ is looking to channel some of that energy, but focused more on entertaining little ones, it never reaches the same level. Which is not to say it’s devoid of entertainment value.
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What’s the story of ‘Super Mario Bros.’?
While working underground to fix a water main, Brooklyn plumbers Mario (Pratt) and brother Luigi (Charlie Day) are transported down a mysterious pipe and wander into a magical new world under threat from the powerful Bowser (Jack Black). But when the brothers are separated, Mario embarks on an epic quest to find Luigi. With the assistance of a Mushroom Kingdom resident Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) and some training from the strong-willed ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), Mario taps into his own power.
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ will open in theaters on April 7, 2023.
Nintendo was a solid basis
Given the sheer amount of games, worlds, characters and situations in Nintendo’s catalogue, there was certainly enough material already present to spin something fun. Instead, the gaming backdrop is largely the source of a whole basket of easter eggs drawn from a variety of titles.
And there are one or two deep cuts that only true Nintendo fans will recognize (full disclosure, this writer has played a few of the games but didn’t catch everything). One or two sequences, such as an early chase played from the side, and the training process that Mario goes through, will give gamers a shiver of pleasurable recognition, but those are few and far between.
Some of the heavy hitters, such as Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen) and father Cranky Kong (Fred Armisen) are given key roles in the story, though some of the voice choices are confounding –– while some roles feel like they’ve been well matched with talent (such as Key’s Toad and Peach’s Taylor-Joy) –– others, particularly Rogen, are more of a mystery. The Canadian funnyman has admitted that most of his animated characters tend to just sound like him, so why not give one of the most important roles to someone who doesn’t bother to really come up with a new voice?
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ will open in theaters on April 7, 2023.
Voice-wise, Pratt is also a surprise, and fairly generic (especially given how much spirit he brought to ‘LEGO’s Emmett).
You can see (or rather hear), though, why the filmmakers might have preferred not to have the traditional Mario voice through an entire movie. And when you meet Mario and Luigi’s family early on, you understand further (original Mario voice actor Charles Martinet has one of his two cameos in their scene), and honestly? It’s a stereotypical gathering that will offend more people than it charms.
Pratt and Day have decent chemistry as brothers, though the movie falls down some cliched warp pipes as it explores their backstory and when they’re separated, Luigi is all but ignored until the end.
Once they’re drawn into the Nintendo world, there’s a lot of exposition to get through, but at least it’s delivered in decently entertaining form. And let’s all be honest –– like the recent ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’, this is starting from a point where the last cinematic adaptation of the source is considered a big miss. Here, that would be 1993’s ‘Super Mario Bros.’, a confusing mélange of gritty and fantastical that went the live-action route but felt like it was a David Lynch fever dream. At least the bright, breezy animation feels like a better fit. But it’s not perfect.
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ will open in theaters on April 7, 2023.
Style over storytelling
The biggest issue to be found with the movie is in its script and story. While there are some beautifully designed and animated shots to be found here, with plenty of detail and some faithful recreations of certain elements, you do wonder why the same level of craft put into making Mario’s overalls look right wasn’t given over to the humor.
Most the jokes here fall flat, and the ones that do hit are likely to be chuckles rather than anything else. Credit, then, to Black, who makes Bowser an actually funny character (we won’t spoil his agenda besides the usual domination, though if you know what he often gets up to in the games, you can probably figure some of it out). There are serious shades of the actor’s Tenacious D personality (particularly when Bowser gets musical), but he melds it into something that doesn’t feel like a wholesale repeat.
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ will open in theaters on April 7, 2023.
It’s busy and loud in places and will appeal more to younger viewers than the sort of four-quadrant charmer that Nintendo and movie producers Illumination might prefer, but then aiming at the youthful crowd has worked well for the latter in the past, given the box office success of the ‘Minions‘ in particular. It’s just a shame that their formula vacuum took in a hugely iconic source material with such promise and churned out a broad movie that features your average hero storyline, a lot of talk about saving kingdoms and more confusingly given the target audience, a load of needle drops that will fly straight over their heads (“Holding Out for a Hero”, for example, or “Take on Me”).
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ is not a bad movie, exactly, it’s just more of a missed opportunity to do something as fresh and inventive as some of the best out there.
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie receives 5 out of 10 stars.
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ will open in theaters on April 7, 2023.
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Marvel Comics’ Adam Warlock. Photo courtesy of Marvel.com.
If you’ve watched the moody trailer for ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’, you’ll know that the third ‘Guardians’ outing, once again written and directed by James Gunn, promises to be an emotional capper to at least this incarnation of the team.
Though Gunn insists that it’s not some huge cull that will leave everyone permanently off the board (particularly as, thanks to their participation in the ‘Avengers’ movies, they’re important to the fabric of the MCU), it seems like we’ll be saying goodbye to more than one member (and comments by Dave Bautista about leaving Drax behind makes us suspect he could either die heroically or sail off somewhere else in the universe).
And one of the biggest issues that the Guardians––Bautista’s Drax, Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill, Zoe Saldana’s Gamora, Karen Gillan’s Nebula and Pom Klementieff’s Mantis, plus CG characters Rocket Racoon (brought to life by Sean Gunn in performance capture and voiced by Bradley Cooper) and Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel)––will face is Adam Warlock, played by British actor Will Poulter.
Created by gold-hued Sovereign leader Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki) after the Guardians double-crossed her in ‘Vol. 2’, Warlock promises that this prime example of the Sovereign race will destroy our morally changeable heroes. He’s a powerful warrior… But is he entirely a bad guy?
“It’s kind of more complicated than that,” Gunn tells Empire. “But he’s definitely not a good guy. What we’re seeing is the infant form of Warlock, newly out of the cocoon, and he does not understand life very well. He’s basically a baby.”
Will Poulter as Adam Warlock in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’ Photo courtesy of Empire Magazine.
After a long search for the right actor to bring him to life, Gunn settled on Poulter, known for films such as the ‘Maze Runner’ movies and, more recently, horror title ‘Midsommar’.
“People online were saying, ‘Oh, Tom Cruise should be Adam Warlock,’” says Gunn. “I wanted somebody who was youthful, and I wanted the person who had the dramatic chops and the comedic chops, not only for this movie but for what Marvel will use Adam Warlock for in the future. He could become this really important character.”
Yes, in true Marvel style, Warlock looks to be hanging around the MCU for a while yet, and he’ll certainly be handy for the future of the Multiverse Saga, which is the overarching title for Phases four, five and six.
For now, though, we’ll have to wait and see how Warlock pans out in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’, which will also feature Chukwudi Iwuji as The High Evolutionary, who promises to be even more of a problem for our heroes.
The special follows Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) as they set out to give Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) the best Christmas ever, after discovering that Yondu (Michael Rooker) ruined the holiday for him as a child. So, the two Guardians travel to Earth to kidnap Peter’s childhood hero, the ‘Footloose’ actor Kevin Bacon (playing himself), as the ultimate gift for Peter.
The result is a fun and heartwarming holiday special, and while the plot is somewhat predictable, it features great alternative Christmas music, a funny Kevin Bacon performance, and tees up ‘Guardians Vol. 3’ perfectly.
Pound for pound, ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ is probably my favorite MCU movie, and the story was expanded well in ‘Guardians Vol. 2.’ But those two movies take place back to back, and with ‘Infinity War’ and ‘Endgame’ taking place before ‘Guardians Vol. 3,’ and the untimely firing and rehiring of Gunn by Disney, I’ve been concerned that the third ‘Guardians’ movie would not be what the filmmaker originally conceived for the trilogy. Remember, had Gunn not been fired, ‘Guardians Vol. 3,’ would have been released towards the beginning of Phase Four rather than the end.
Also, with the original Gamora (Zoe Saldana) dead, and a younger version of her running around the universe, this is not the Guardians team we began with and the ‘Holiday Special’ does a great job of setting up where our characters will be when ‘Vol. 3’ begins.
The Guardians now comprise of Star-Lord, Drax, Mantis, Nebula (Karen Gillan), Kraglin (Sean Gunn), Rocket (Voice of Bradley Cooper), new member Cosmo the Spacedog (Voiced for the first time by Maria Bakalova) and Groot (Voiced by Vin Diesel), who is now in his late teens but almost fully grown. We soon discover that they have inherited Nowhere from the Collector (Benicio del Toro) and are helping the locals rebuild their community. Other Marvel secrets revealed include the identity of Mantis’ father, and that Gamora is still missing at the time of the special.
Since this is a Disney+ special, and not a theatrical movie, obviously it did not have the same budget as other ‘Guardians’ films, but for the most part it never compromises the project. However, there were two scenes that could have used more effects work.
The movie begins with a flashback to Peter’s first Christmas with Yondu, and crude animation is used instead of live-action. One can assume this is because Michael Rooker is not in ‘Guardians Vol. 3,’ and was not available on set when they shot the special. The animation is rough, which matches Peter’s foggy memory, but distracted from the rest of the production. If animation was the only way to go with this sequence, using similar animation to the Disney+ series ‘What If…?’ would have fit the project better.
While Rocket and Groot are used sparingly, probably for budget reasons, Rocket looks good and is on par with his big screen appearances. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Groot, who at times looks more like the theme park character at Disneyland. In the special, Groot looks like someone in a rubber suit, rather than the CGI character we are used to.
But it’s the music, holiday themes, our beloved characters, and Gunn’s unique storytelling style that puts the “Special” in ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.’ Gunn clearly understands the spirit of Christmas and knows what works in a project like this, with obvious influences from holiday specials of the past like 1964’s ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,’ 1966’s ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas!,’ and of course, 1978’s ‘Star Wars Holiday Special.’
The filmmaker also fills the special with non-traditional Christmas music like “Christmastime” by The Smashing Pumpkins or The Pogues’ classic song, “Fairytale of New York.” The underrated rock band the Old 97’s actually makes an appearance as an alien rock group on Nowhere learning about Christmas, and has a great performance at the end of the special with Kevin Bacon, who don’t forget is a musician himself.
Bacon is great playing a confused version of himself when Drax and Mantis abduct him, and he eventually befriends the whole group, becoming an honorary Guardian, which is fitting. The actor, who appeared in Gunn’s ‘Super,’ is a good sport spoofing his own persona and clearly understands what Gunn was aiming for. It’s also worth noting that Bacon’s real-life wife, actress Kyra Sedgwick makes a vocal cameo in the project.
As far as the core actors, Dave Bautista and Pom Klementieff have the largest roles, and have become a fantastic comedic team over the last few films. Drax and Mantis’ platonic friendship is one of the most engaging relationships in the franchise, and I’m intrigued to see where it goes in the next installment.
But the other Guardians have smaller roles. Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord does not have a lot to do but react to Mantis and Drax’s spontaneous Christmas, which he is emotionally touched by until he realizes that they kidnapped Kevin Bacon! Pratt’s basically just there to react, but has a touching scene with Mantis at the end, which I imagine will have large repercussions moving forward.
While Sean Gunn’s Kraglin is involved in the retelling of Peter’s first Christmas with Yondu, he’s basically in the background with Karen Gillan’s Nebula, who could have had a larger role. I also would have liked to see more interaction between Rocket and Groot, two fan-favorites, but we’ll have to wait for the next movie as Rocket mostly shares his scenes with Cosmo the Spacedog, who was originally introduced in the first film. But it was nice to get a tease of ‘Borat Subsequent Moviefilm’s Maria Bakalova as the voice of Cosmo.
In the end, ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ may not be the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.5’ fans were hoping for, but it is a very funny and entertaining Christmas special that should offer enough character interaction, humor, and music to hold fans over until ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ hits theaters on May 5th, 2023.
‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ receives 4 out of 5 stars.
Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark.’
Disney+ has been a place for the company to extend the already wide-reaching tentacles of the various franchises under its umbrella.
We’ve had a bevy of ‘Star Wars’ shows (which continues with the likes of ‘The Acolyte’, now in production under the leadership of Leslye Headland), a raft of Marvel TV series introducing new characters to the MCU or continuing the adventures of some such as Hawkeye and all sorts of other offerings for family audiences from Pixar, Disney Animation and others.
One notable exception – at least so far – has been Lucasfilm’s ‘Indiana Jones’, which in recent years, been confined to the big screen.
That, it would appear, is set to change. According to Variety, Disney and Lucasfilm are in the very early stages of exploring a new series set in the world of Dr. Jones, though given that they are only now meeting with writers to explore concepts, nothing is known about what this could be.
Given how much use Disney tends to get out of its various titles, it’s not out of the question that other writers and directors could re-cast Indy, even though that would meet with plenty of online backlash – as with the rumors that Chris Pratt could be taking over the role. He’s since said he won’t do it.
Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark.’
It would seem nigh-on impossible for any series to be built around Harrison Ford as Indy, since the actor has firmly stated that he’s done slapping on the famous fedora and handling the whip. So, we are once again facing the possibility that someone else will play Indiana Jones.
It has happened in the past on TV – ‘The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles’, which ran for two seasons between 1992 and 1993 saw Sean Patrick Flanery playing, as the title suggests, a young Indy. The shows were retooled into TV movies later.
But the history of the franchise stretches back to the late 1970s, when George Lucas and Steven Spielberg hatched an idea for a movie about an adventurer inspired by the radio and movie series they loved when younger.
