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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 2017

Movie · 136 min · English · April 10, 2017

Action comedy Action-adventure Adventure comedy

Directed by James GunnWritten by James Gunn

Starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is a 2017 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team Guardians of the Galaxy, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. Written and directed by James Gunn, the movie stars an ensemble cast including Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Sylvester Stallone, and Kurt Russell. The story follows the Guardians as they journey across the galaxy, assisting Peter Quill (Pratt) in uncovering his hidden lineage.

The project was officially revealed at the 2014 San Diego Comic-Con, shortly before the first film’s release. At that time, Gunn confirmed his return as both writer and director from the initial installment. The sequel's title was disclosed a year later in June 2015. Principal photography commenced in February 2016 at Pinewood Atlanta Studios in Fayette County, Georgia. Many crew members had to leave due to other projects, resulting in significant changes from the first film. The production wrapped up in June 2016.

Gunn opted to set the follow-up just after the first movie to further develop the characters’ dynamics and continue the narrative arc involving Quill’s father introduced in the prior film. Russell was cast as Quill’s father in July 2016, portraying Ego, a role that diverged from the comic version of Quill’s father.

The film premiered in Tokyo on April 10, 2017 and opened in the United States on May 5, 2017, marking a key entry in Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It earned more than $869 million globally, ranking as the eighth highest-grossing movie of 2017 and surpassing its predecessor financially. Critics praised the visuals, direction, soundtrack, action scenes, comedy, and acting, although some considered it less strong than the original. The film was nominated for Best Visual Effects at the 90th Academy Awards.

A continuation titled Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 debuted on May 5, 2023, preceded by the Disney+ special The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special in November 2022.