Now that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is finally out, many fans wonder about its place in the extended and often complicated Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline. The third and most likely last James Gunn-directed trilogy gave a satisfactory end to the many storylines involving the most dysfunctional band of superheroes in the galaxy. However, it left some pending questions about when the latest Guardians adventures went down.
Where Is the Guardians of the Galaxy 3’s Place in the MCU Timeline?
Guardians of the Galaxy 3’s place in the MCU timeline could be either in 2025 or 2026. The movie itself doesn’t feature any time-specific reference besides a few vague hints. For example, fans hear Peter Quill’s (Chris Pratt) grandfather is in his 90s. Still, guessing the movie’s place in the MCU is possible.
The official MCU timeline sees The Guardian of the Galaxy Holiday Special as the last entry on Disney Plus, and Vol. 3 has plenty of references to it, thus setting the movie after Kevin Bacon’s kidnapping at the hands of Mantis (Pom Klementieff) and Drax (Dave Bautista). But, again, much depends on whether the events of the Holiday Special went down in late 2024 or 2025. Marvel Studios will release a book later this year that will likely have the answers fans are looking for the growing franchise’s lore.
At the moment of writing, there is no official confirmation from Marvel Studios on the Vol. 3 place in the MCU timeline. Director Gunn’s words contradict the producers’ intention to set Thor: Love & Thunder in 2025 as he doesn’t believe the blond superhero portrayed by Chris Hemsworth spent two years with the Guardians after the Avengers managed to reverse the effects of the Snap in the MCU’s 2023. However, Gunn stated that it feels like there is a couple of years between Iron Man’s sacrifice and what occurs in Vol. 3.
