Marvel's latest Phase 4 delays don't include Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and here's why the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe movie's release date was the only one that wasn't pushed. In the years since Marvel Studios first announced its Phase 4 slate at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019, the lineup has changed plenty of times. It wasn't until late 2020 that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 officially joined the slate, though, as it received a May 2023 release date. Fans have been growing more confidant in the upcoming MCU calendar thanks to Black Widow and Shang-Chi performing well at the box office.
Despite the MCU's recent success with its first Phase 4 movies, Disney and Marvel Studios delivered another major change to the slate that is reportedly rooted in production issues. These changes impacted almost every 2022 and 2023 MCU movie. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Thor: Love and Thunder, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever were each pushed back a few months in 2022 and will now arrive in May, July, and November respectively. The Marvels was delayed from late 2022 to February 2023, which also meant Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania moving back to July 2023. As the slate stands, Guardians of the Galaxy 3 is the only post-2021 MCU movie that wasn't delayed.
One potential factor behind Marvel's decision to not delay Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 could be the film's path to production already. The movie was originally meant to kick off Phase 4 in 2020, but that was before writer/director James Gunn was fired by Disney — and eventually rehired. The sequel lost a year of development because of this decision and saw Gunn head to DC to direct The Suicide Squad first. All of that means that instead of a May 2020 release, fans will wait another three years to see Guardians of the Galaxy 3 in theaters. With six years passing between Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and this new sequel, it makes sense that Disney and Marvel don't want to prolong the gap if it could be avoided.
It also isn't surprising that Marvel Studios wants to keep Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 a the May 2023 movie. This early May slot is traditionally saved for the MCU's biggest films, whether that be the Avengers franchise or similarly large events like Captain America: Civil War. Specific plot details on Gunn's trilogy capper are still heavily guarded, but he has teased in the past that Guardians of the Galaxy 3 sets up the next decade of the MCU. Will Poulter's Adam Warlock debuting here is just one example of how massive it could be for Phase 4 and beyond. It'll certainly have a massive scale to it, so it fits with what MCU fans expect from an early summer Marvel movie.
Guardians of the Galaxy 3 might even be free of the reported production concerns that Marvel has with its other projects; it is the only one of the already dated MCU movies not in production. It's possible Marvel Studios is a bit too busy for its own good with three movies filming and several other Disney+ shows gearing up. While Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is expected to begin filming later this year, Marvel doesn't appear to be concerned about it if they're confident keeping its May 2023 release date while delaying everything else.
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