You know a movie's going to be a heart-wrenching experience when even the trailer has people
in tears.
Fans just couldn't contain their emotions when the new trailer for "Guardians of the
Galaxy Vol. 3" hit during the Super Bowl.
Marvel Studios used the Super Bowl to unveil a brand new trailer for "Volume 3," the final
entry in director James Gunn's "Guardians" trilogy and his last project with Marvel before
moving on to head up the DC Universe full-time.
"Are you ready?
For one last ride?"
The director was already on double duty on Super Bowl Sunday, promoting the new "The
Flash" trailer on his Twitter just moments before his "Guardians" spot.
"Guardians Volume 3" reunites the ensemble of Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista,
Bradley Cooper, Pom Klementieff, Vin Diesel, Karen Gillan, and introduces Cosmo played
by Maria Bakalova, Adam Warlock played by Will Poulter, and the villainous High Evolutionary
played by Chukwudi Iwuji.
Releasing just a couple of months after February's "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania," "Guardians
of the Galaxy Vol. 3" looks set to continue MCU Phase 5 with higher stakes, heart, and
sacrifice than what we've seen before.
The imminent danger of this band of misfits' final adventure is obvious in the marketing,
with released footage causing many fans online to panic about the fates of the characters
they've grown to love.
As one fan wrote on Twitter:
"This is going to break our hearts, isn't it."
Indeed, if there's one thing fans can expect from a James Gunn Marvel film – aside from
offbeat humor and perfect needle drops – it's a heavy dose of heartbreak.
The first "Guardians of the Galaxy" film saw the original Groot sacrifice himself for his
newfound family.
In the second, Peter's adopted father, Yondu, played by Michael Rooker, gave up his life
for his boy.
"He may have been your father, boy, but he wasn't your daddy."
Given that this is the last film in Gunn's nearly ten-year "Guardians" saga, it's likely
he won't leave any heartstring un-tugged.
In other words, as one fan tweeted:
"we aren't ready for the pain, James."
Some fans couldn't even survive this small snippet of footage without getting misty-eyed.
One tweeted,
"This trailer literally made me cry.
Don't do this to me."
Another shared a photo of John Cena's Peacemaker bawling his eyes out with the caption,
"JAMES I CANT DO THIS TODAY IM GONNA CRY."
Yet another fan claimed the trailer made them "an emotional wreck" that will be inconsolable
until at least the film's May 5th release date.
While most fans are getting overwhelmed by the mere notion of the "Guardians" series
coming to an end, most are beside themselves with preemptive grief over the death of a
fan-favorite character.
Judging by these users, one Guardian, in particular, seems to be on the chopping block, and no
one is ready to say goodbye.
In James Gunn's Twitter mentions, fans seem to agree that Rocket Raccoon will meet his
maker, literally and figuratively, in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3."
And it's true that the footage released in the first two trailers doesn't exactly paint
his future in an optimistic light, with the character bathed in heavenly white light as
he delivers this ominous line:
"We'll all fly away together, into the forever."
One fan tweeted,
"This [trailer] has the stench of death...Rocket's gonna die, isn't he?"
Several other users expressed their anxieties about Rocket's fate, including one who begged,
"please let Rocket Raccoon live."
Another fan shared a foreboding screenshot from the trailer of Peter screaming in anguish
over something unseen, noting that it likely signaled a moment of unmatched pain yet to come.
Though the series seems determined to go out on a bleak yet triumphant note, fans are nonetheless
excited to experience this pain together.
One tweeted,
"This is gonna be such an emotional movie knowing it's the last guardians film."
Another admitted,
"I am simultaneously excited and terrified of getting my heart torn into shreds."
"Now you're just making it sad."
Perhaps the most succinct summation of the mix of feelings going into the film came in
the form of this tweet:
"I can already tell this one is going to be hitting me right in the feels.
And I look forward to it."