Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 Has Begun Filming As James Gunn Shares Image From The Set

At long last, "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" has begun filming. For real this time. While we had a bit of a false alarm last month when Chris Pratt revealed he was on set, leading many fans to believe filming had begun, but it was a bit premature. However, writer/director James Gunn has confirmed on social media that filming has actually kicked off on the long-awaited sequel, while sharing a photo of himself with the cast on the first day. Check it out.

It’s been a strange & long & at times challenging journey to get here, but the obstacles along the way have only made this moment more blissful. Back on set with my Guardians family for the first day of shooting #gotgvol3 pic.twitter.com/DrF8ZV8bvz

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) November 8, 2021

"It's been a strange & long & at times challenging journey to get here, but the obstacles along the way have only made this moment more blissful. Back on set with my Guardians family for the first day of shooting #gotgvol3," Gunn said in his post.

The photo includes Gunn, his brother Sean Gunn (Kraglin), Pratt (Star-Lord), Zoe Saldana (Gamora), Pom Klementieff (Mantis), Dave Bautista (Drax), and Karen Gillan (Nebula). Perhaps most importantly, Wil Poulter is pictured, with the actor set to play Adam Warlock in the film. Fans have long desired to see the character brought to life, so Poulter's inclusion is a big deal. Last, but certainly not least, we see Chukwudi Iwuji, who is also starring in Gunn's "Peacemaker" series for HBO Max. Does it mean that Iwuji's "Peacemaker" character will appear in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3"? Or perhaps he was just sticking around for the photo? Regardless, Iwuji had not previously been confirmed as a cast member, so him being featured here alongside the principal cast is noteworthy.

As Gunn notes in his post, it was a long road getting this movie made; in particular, with him behind the camera. As many fans may recall, Gunn was at one point fired by Disney after a series of old, controversial tweets posted by the filmmaker resurfaced. That is what ultimately led to Gunn making "The Suicide Squad" for Warner Bros. However, after the cast and the collective internet rallied around Gunn, he was re-hired. Were it not for the debacle, this movie likely would have been made a whole lot sooner.

Plot details for the third entry in the franchise are being kept tightly under wraps at this point. All we know is that many of the characters will appear in the upcoming "Thor: Love and Thunder," which will seemingly help tie up what happened at the end of "Avengers: Endgame." So don't expect to see Thor still paling around with Star-Lord and the gang in this movie. Beyond that, much like any MCU movie, we'll have to rely on tidbits, rumors, and wild speculation until a trailer eventually arrives.

"Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" is currently set to hit theaters on May 5, 2023.