MARVEL MARATHON DEEP DIVE
THE GUARDIANS OF
THE GALAXY
HOLIDAY SPECIAL
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special reached Disney+ on 25 November 2022, with James Gunn writing and directing. Drax and Mantis take a Christmas mission to Earth to find a gift for Peter Quill.
A LONG-HELD IDEA
HOW THE SPECIAL WAS MADE
Kevin Feige announced the special in December 2020, to be written and directed by James Gunn, who first conceived it during production of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. It was marketed as a Marvel Studios Special Presentation, and was shot during the later part of production on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, using the same sets.
Filming had begun by February 2022 at Trilith Studios in Atlanta under the working title Pop Tart and wrapped by the end of April. The flashbacks were animated through rotoscoping in the style of the Rankin/Bass Christmas specials, and John Murphy composed the score, with the soundtrack released on 23 November 2022.
TWO FRIENDS AND A HERO FROM EARTH
WHAT THE SPECIAL IS ABOUT
Mantis plans a Christmas present for Quill, who is still depressed after losing Gamora, and she and Drax decide to go to Earth and retrieve his childhood hero, Kevin Bacon. Gunn described the pair’s dynamic this way:
“kind of like Abbott and Costello, but both are Costellos.”
James Gunn on Drax and Mantis
THE GUARDIANS AND A GUEST
WHO IS IN THE CAST
Chris Pratt plays Peter Quill, with Dave Bautista as Drax, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Pom Klementieff as Mantis, Vin Diesel as Groot, Bradley Cooper as Rocket, Sean Gunn as Kraglin and Michael Rooker as Yondu, with Kevin Bacon playing himself and Maria Bakalova voicing Cosmo the Spacedog. The Old 97’s appear as the Knowheremen.
A DISNEY+ CHRISTMAS
HOW THE SPECIAL WAS RECEIVED
The special was released on Disney+ on 25 November 2022, and Whip Media reported it was the top-streamed film in the US for the week ending 27 November. Rotten Tomatoes lists a 95% critics’ score from 64 reviews and an 81% audience score, and its consensus calls it “a delightful showcase for Drax, Mantis, and a very game Kevin Bacon.” Metacritic gave it 80 from nine critics.
Jordan Moreau of Variety called it “one of the best pieces of content Marvel Studios has released in years,” while Chris Evangelista of /Film called it “mighty silly and mighty light.”
THE REWATCH
FOUR CHILDREN’S AND FAMILY EMMYS
The special won four Children’s and Family Emmy Awards in December 2023, for outstanding fiction special, costume design and styling, makeup and hairstyling, and stunt coordination. Gunn described it as the epilogue of Phase Four and said parts of it set up Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. It is set between Thor: Love and Thunder and that film.
In the Marvel Marathon it is catalogued as an MCU special and sits in the MCU release order guide between Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. In the MCU timeline guide it comes between Werewolf by Night and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. It is not in the other guides.
QUICK ANSWERS
GUARDIANS HOLIDAY SPECIAL WATCH QUESTIONS
Do I need to watch the Guardians films first?
It helps. The special is set between Thor: Love and Thunder and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and it sets up material in Vol. 3.
How long is the special?
About 44 minutes.
Do I need to watch it before Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3?
Gunn called parts of it a way to set up Vol. 3, so it is best watched before the film.
Which Marvel Marathon guides include the special?
It appears in the MCU release order and MCU timeline guides. In the timeline it sits between Werewolf by Night and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
EDITORIAL NOTES
SOURCES AND UPDATES
Production, release, reception and awards details are checked against a film reference and aggregator scores, cited individually below. Box-office figures do not apply to a streaming special.