The 5 essential Marvel movies and shows to watch before Guardians of the Galaxy 3

The MCU is a pretty vast thing at this point, so you could be forgiven for being unsure what you need to watch before Guardians of the Galaxy 3, the latest big-screen installment in the franchise. Of course, time is running out to do your homework, as the movie is now out in both US theaters and UK cinemas.

There's no time like the present to get up to speed, though, and that's where we come in. We've compiled a list of the five must-see MCU entries that we think you need to watch before taking a trip to the multiplex to catch up with Star-Lord and co. Hopefully, these picks should help to refresh your memory and clear up any confusion that might arise from the final Guardians movie – and the good news is that this guide is completely spoiler-free.

Guardians of the Galaxy 1 & 2

Chris Pratt in Guardians of the Galaxy — (Image credit: Marvel)

Hey, we didn’t say it wouldn’t be obvious. 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy introduced the world (and the wider MCU) to human-turned-space mercenary Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Thanos’ adopted daughter Gamora (Zoe Saldaña), Drax (Dave Bautista), loud-mouthed raccoon Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper), and sentient tree Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel).

The ragtag team took on Ronan the Accuser after coming into contact with the Power Stone, as well as Gamora’s half-sister Nebula. Now on Thanos’ radar, the group have their murky criminal records expunged and are christened the Guardians of the Galaxy.

The sequel – which takes place just after the original film – continues the Guardians’ story, focusing on Star-Lord’s human origins after being abducted from Earth. Along the way, the movie digs into his daddy issues with living planet Ego (Kurt Russell), integrates empath Mantis (Pom Klementieff) into the new interaction of the Guardians, and cements Gamora and Star-Lord as a couple. Spoiler: it’s pretty short-lived.

It should go without saying why these are must-watches before Guardians of the Galaxy 3. It’s the end of the trilogy – so you really should watch the preceding two movies.

Avengers: Infinity War

The Guardians of the Galaxy’s next major appearance comes in Avengers: Infinity War. Here, they encounter Chris Hemsworth’s Thor – the start of a fruitful friendship – and are dragged into the battle for the universe with Thanos. Long story short: Surly teenager Groot, Star-Lord, and Drax are all snapped into dust by Thanos. That’s not before the Mad Titan kidnaps and kills Gamora to obtain the Soul Stone.

This is a crucial chapter in the Guardians’ lifespan, not only expanding on Mantis’ role in the group, but also killing off most of its key members. It’s a traumatic event that appears to drive much of Guardians 3’s plot with Star-Lord.

Avengers: Endgame

Gamora actor Zoe Saldana — (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Remaining Guardians member Rocket picks up the pieces to pull off a time travel heist with the Avengers, nabbing each Infinity Stone and constructing an Infinity Gauntlet to hold them all.

Poking around in the past does have consequences, both good and bad. 2014-era Nebula and Gamora head into the ‘present day’ of the MCU in 2023. Present-day Nebula manages to convince 2014-era Gamora to betray Thanos. After Thanos is defeated and the rest of the Guardians brought back from the dead, she departs – leaving a lovelorn Star-Lord to wrangle with feelings for a woman who isn’t technically the person he fell in love with. It's a plot thread set to be picked up once more in Guardians 3 if the trailers are any indication.

Thor also joins the Guardians (temporarily, as covered in Thor: Love and Thunder. All you need to know is the Asgardian joined the team then departed as quick as a thunderclap).

The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

In the grand scheme of things, the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special isn't too important. It does, however, update viewers on how the Guardians are doing since Endgame: they’ve bought Knowhere from the Collector, Star-Lord is moping around about Gamora, and the they even have a new member among their ranks (Cosmo the Spacedog, voiced by Borat 2’s Maria Bakalova). The Holiday Special also gives Star-Lord new blasters, plus dropping another bombshell: Mantis is his half-sister.

Guardians of the Galaxy 3 is out now in the UK and is set to release on May 5 in the US. For more on the MCU, check out our definitive guides to Marvel Phase 5, Marvel Phase 6, and all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows headed your way.

If you're after more spoiler guides too after streaming the movie, check out our explainers on:

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I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.