The list of films you need to watch before The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

Director James Gunn has revealed the list of Marvel Cinematic Universe films fans need to watch to fully enjoy the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. The film is Marvel Studios' first Christmas special and will take the gang of intergalactic outlaws to Earth as they try to give Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) a genuine holiday experience.

When asked on Twitter which films fans would need to watch to enjoy the special, Gunn was blunt to say, “none are must-see, including the Guardians films.” That’s right; you can consume the Holiday Special without caring about the previous years of films and series. Even though no other MCU production is necessary to understand the Holiday Special, Gunn mentions that “the two Guardians movies, Infinity War, and Endgame all have small amounts of information in them that are referenced.” That was expected, as the previous films explain why the Guardians are coming back to Earth on Christmas.

While the Holiday Special is a standalone story, it will also bridge the gap between Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Besides showing what the Guardians are doing after the events of Endgame and Thor: Love and Thunder, the Holiday Special also promises to introduce new characters to the MCU, including Borat Subsequent Moviefilm’s Maria Bakalova as the voice of Cosmo the space dog. 

The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special also stars Dave Bautista as Drax, Bradley Cooper as the voice of Rocket Raccoon, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Pom Klementieff as Mantis, and Vin Diesel as Groot’s voice.

The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special will be released on Disney+ on November 25. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 hits theatres on May 5, 2023.