Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Disney Plus date confirmed — and it’s good news

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Here’s when that latest Guardians of the Galaxy hits Disney Plus

(L to R) Sean Gunn as Kraglin Obfonteri, Pom Klementieff as Mantis, Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel), Chris Pratt as Star-Lord, Dave Bautista as Drax and Karen Gillan as Nebula standing side by side in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 art
(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

After weeks of waiting and speculating, we finally know when Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will begin streaming on Disney Plus. And it's good news for avid Marvel fans eager for a rewatch as you won't have long to wait before the motley crew’s third outing hits the popular streaming service either. 

Disney has confirmed that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will hit Disney Plus on Wednesday, August 2. This comes less than a month after its premiere on video-on-demand platforms such as Amazon, Apple TV and Google Play and just shy of three months after its theatrical bow on May 5. The movie’s Disney Plus debut will be proceeded by a physical release on on DVD, Blu-ray and 4K Ultra on August 1.   

A 60-day gap between a Marvel movie’s theatrical release and its debut on Disney Plus is becoming increasingly common. Last year, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Thor: Love and Thunder and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever all arrived on the streamer within the same timeframe, as did Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania earlier this year. 

The conclusion of James Gunn’s trilogy — the writer/director is now switching sides to helm things over at DC — Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3 follows the beloved ragtag crew of space-faring misfits as they deal with the aftermath of the events of Avengers: Endgame, and must rally to protect something even more important than the galaxy: One of their own. Billed as the last ride for this particular incarnation of the Guardians, it’s a surprisingly emotional sci-fi adventure but there's still a healthy dose of the franchise’s trademark boisterous comedic quips. 

While several recent Marvel Cinematic Universe projects have faced a lukewarm reception, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3 bucked the trend with a strong response from critics and audiences alike. The film currently holds a solid 83% score on the review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes, with an even more impressive 94% audience rating. These are among the highest scores an MCU movie has received in the last four years as the franchise endures a well-discussed post-Endgame slump. 

The threequel received particular praise for its deeper exploration of Rocket Raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper), who was more of a supporting character in the previous Guardians movies. The handling of the altered relationship between Peter “Star Lord” Quill (Chris Pratt) and Garamora (Zoe Saldana) is another highlight. Plus, the satisfying ending waves goodbye to the current team while leaving enough wiggle room for the group's seemingly inevitable return somewhere down the line. 

Elsewhere in the ongoing MCU, the latest TV show, Secret Invasion, is currently airing weekly on Disney Plus. Its fifth episode is scheduled to hit the streaming service on Wednesday (July 19), with the finale coming exactly one week later. And later this year, The Marvels will fly into theatres on November 10. This sequel to 2019’s Captain Marvel will incorporate characters from WandaVision and Ms. Marvel but it isn’t likely to hit Disney Plus until early 2024.   

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Rory Mellon
Rory Mellon
Senior Entertainment Editor (UK)

Rory is a Senior Entertainment Editor at Tom’s Guide based in the UK. He covers a wide range of topics but with a particular focus on gaming and streaming. When he’s not reviewing the latest games, searching for hidden gems on Netflix, or writing hot takes on new gaming hardware, TV shows and movies, he can be found attending music festivals and getting far too emotionally invested in his favorite football team.