| The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special | |
|---|---|
 Official release poster | |
| Genre | |
| Based on | Marvel Comics |
| Written by | James Gunn |
| Directed by | James Gunn |
| Starring | |
| Composer | John Murphy |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producer | Nikolas Korda |
| Production locations |
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| Cinematography | Henry Braham |
| Editors |
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| Running time | 42 minutes |
| Production company | Marvel Studios |
| Original release | |
| Network | Disney+ |
| Release | November 25, 2022 (2022-11-25) |
| Related | |
| Marvel Studios Special Presentations | |
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is an Americantelevision special written and directed byJames Gunn for the streaming serviceDisney+, based onMarvel Comics featuring the superhero teamGuardians of the Galaxy. It is the secondMarvel Studios Special Presentation in theMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity withthe films andtelevision series of the franchise. The special was produced byMarvel Studios, and follows theGuardians of the Galaxy as they celebrate Christmas and search for apresent for their leader,Peter Quill.
Chris Pratt,Dave Bautista,Karen Gillan,Pom Klementieff,Vin Diesel,Bradley Cooper,Sean Gunn, andMichael Rooker reprise their roles as the Guardians from previous MCU media, with the special also featuring the bandOld 97's andKevin Bacon as a fictionalized version of himself. Gunn had worked on the concept for the special during the production ofGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) before it was announced in December 2020. Filming occurred from February to late April 2022 inAtlanta, Georgia, andLos Angeles, during the production ofGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023).
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special was released on Disney+ on November 25, 2022, serving as the conclusion ofPhase Four of the MCU. The special received positive reviews from critics for its humor, Gunn's direction, and the cast's performances. It received multiple awards nominations, including wins at theChildren's and Family Emmy Awards.
TheGuardians of the Galaxy have purchasedKnowhere from theCollector and taken inCosmo the Spacedog as a new member. As Christmas approaches,Kraglin tells the Guardians a childhood story of howYondu ruined Christmas forPeter Quill.Mantis discusses withDrax her plan to find a perfectChristmas present for Quill, who is still depressed following the loss ofGamora.[a] After brainstorming, they decide to go to Earth and retrieve Quill's childhood hero,Kevin Bacon.
Mantis and Drax arrive inHollywood, Los Angeles, and search for Bacon. After spending time atGrauman's Chinese Theater, theHollywood Walk of Fame, and a bar, they get amap of celebrities' residences and find Bacon's home inBeverly Hills. Bacon, who is waiting for his family to come home, is terrified by the appearance of Mantis and Drax and tries to escape. Police arrive to help, but Mantis places them and Bacon in a trance before taking Bacon with them. As they return to Knowhere, Mantis and Drax are disappointed to learn that Bacon is an actor and not a real-life hero.
Later, the Guardians surprise Quill with a Christmas celebration, but Quill is horrified to learn that Bacon had been kidnapped, demanding that he be returned home. On the Guardians' new spaceship, theBowie, Bacon learns from Kraglin how he inspired Quill's heroism and decides to celebrate Christmas with the Guardians before returning home.
After the celebration, Quill reveals to Mantis that Yondu eventually changed his mind about Christmas and gifted him a pair of blasters which now serve as his primary weapons. Mantis confides in him that she is Quill's half-sister, after years of refusing to tell him the truth out of fear of reminding him of his fatherEgo's misdeeds,[b] to Quill's surprise and elation.
Maria Bakalova provides the voice and additionalmotion capture forCosmo the Spacedog, a member of the Guardians who is a sapient dog that developedpsionic abilities after being sent into space by theSoviet Union;[12][13] Cosmo is physically portrayed bydog actor Slate, replacing Fred, who played Cosmo in the first twoGuardians films.[13][14]Stephen Blackehart appears as Steemie, a denizen of Knowhere.[15] Bacon's wifeKyra Sedgwick has a voice-only role as herself.[16]Flula Borg appears as a bartender at the bar that Mantis and Drax visit inHollywood.[17]
In December 2020,Marvel Studios PresidentKevin Feige announcedThe Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, atelevision special featuring theGuardians of the Galaxy to be written and directed byJames Gunn, the writer and director of theGuardians of the Galaxy films.[18][19] TheHoliday Special was the first piece of content Marvel Studios planned to create forDisney+ and was originally conceived by Gunn during the production ofGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017);[20] at that time, it was being developed forABC followingVol. 2's release.[21] Gunn stated that the special would be live-action andcanon to theMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU),[22] and noted that he had been a fan of theStar Wars Holiday Special (1978) and animatedChristmas specials such asRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) andHow the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966) as a child.[6]
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is 44 minutes long,[6] and is the secondMarvel Studios Special Presentation in the MCU.[20] Marvel Studios' Feige,Louis D'Esposito,Victoria Alonso, andBrad Winderbaum, Sara Smith, and Simon Hatt serve as executive producers, alongside Gunn.[9]
Gunn called theHoliday Special "one of my favorite stories ever",[23] with a story "as crazy and fun as can be" that he had "bugged [Feige] endlessly about over the years".[22][23] Gunn finished the script in April 2021,[24] after initially writing thetreatment "years ago".[24][20] It took Gunn a few hours to write the script, and he noted featuringKevin Bacon was a quick inclusion once he had figured out the story for the special.[6]
The main cast members of theGuardians films are featured,[25] focusing onDrax the Destroyer andMantis. Gunn decided to focus on the Drax and Mantis relationship in the special because he felt those characters had been "sidelined" in their appearances outside of theGuardians of the Galaxy films betweenVol. 2 andGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023). He described the two of them as "kind of likeAbbott and Costello, but both are Costellos",[26] adding, "They do not have any of the values that human beings normally have, so they don't have the same boundaries that we have. They're like following an unattended fire hose around."[4] Mantis actressPom Klementieff called theHoliday Special "very goofy and very funny and cute" while "also very rooted in something much, much deeper and more beautiful and heartfelt".[27]
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is set betweenThor: Love and Thunder (2022) andGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.[24] Gunn noted there were parts of the special that would help set up material inVol. 3,[28] calling theHoliday Special a "Trojan Horse" that allowed him to introduce important elements toVol. 3 that he then would not need to explain at the beginning of that film. Some of this material includes filling in the Guardians recent history, such as how they now operate out ofKnowhere, have a new ship called theBowie,Cosmo the Spacedog is now a member of the Guardians, and "a couple of bigger pieces of spoiler-y lore".[26] The special has been described by Gunn as the epilogue ofPhase Four of the MCU.[29]
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special seesChris Pratt,Dave Bautista,Vin Diesel,Bradley Cooper,Karen Gillan,Pom Klementieff, andSean Gunn all reprising their MCU roles as Guardians of the Galaxy membersPeter Quill / Star-Lord,Drax the Destroyer,Groot,Rocket,Nebula,Mantis, andKraglin Obfonteri,[1][5][9] respectively, along withMichael Rooker asYondu Udonta.[9][10] Kevin Bacon was revealed to be starring in the special as a fictionalized version of himself in October 2022,[11] along withMaria Bakalova voicing Cosmo the Spacedog ahead of her role inVol. 3.[12] Bakalova also provides additional motion capture for Cosmo, who is physically portrayed bydog actor Slate,[13] replacing dog actor Fred fromGuardians of the Galaxy (2014) andVol. 2.[14] The band theOld 97's also appear in the special as the alien band Bzermikitokolok and the Knowheremen,[6][7] while Bacon's wifeKyra Sedgwick has a voicecameo appearance.[16]
Filming for the special had begun by February 2022,[30] atTrilith Studios inAtlanta, Georgia,[31][8] under theworking titlePop Tart.[32] It occurred during the later portion of production ofGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,[33] which lasted from November 2021 until May 2022,[34][35] and used the same sets as that film.[36][6]Henry Braham served as cinematographer, after doing so forGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 andVol. 3.[37] Gunn enjoyed being able to switch to filming the special after doing scenes forVol. 3, given the tonal difference between the two withVol. 3 being more "emotional",[26] and called theHoliday Special shoot easier thanVol. 3.[6]
The special was originally supposed to be shot duringVol. 3's initial production time in 2019, before several production delays.[33] A day of filming inLos Angeles for the special had been expected by early January 2022, but did not occur due to theCOVID-19Omicron variant.[38] The Old 97's filmed their roles in March 2022.[8] Filming occurred around theAtlanta Country Club in late March, with various Christmas-themed decorations being used,[39] and at theTCL Chinese Theatre inHollywood on April 28, with Bautista and Klementieff. The set featured various Christmas-themed decorations and posters ofKumail Nanjiani's characterKingo from the MCU filmEternals (2021).[40] Filming of the specialwrapped by the end of April.[41]
Rooker and Luke Klein filmed the material for the flashback sequences, which was animated byStoopid Buddy Stoodios throughrotoscoping in the style ofRalph Bakshi to emulate the Christmas specials fromRankin/Bass Animated Entertainment.[3] Marvel had received bids from other animations studios for the sequences, but their test sequences had used more traditional animation techniques, compared to Stoopid Buddy's rotoscoping approach, which set them apart and fulfilled the look Gunn and Marvel were looking for. Animation director Mac Whiting was able to find archival recordings of how the Bakshi-style animations were made to reference and ensure the process for theHoliday Special was authentic as possible. Whiting and his team were able to be on set when Rooker and Klein were filmed to discuss with Gunn things such as how the camera would be set up, to ensure it was "simple enough for animation, but also dynamic enough so it had that big cinematic feel".[42] Stoopid Buddy added Yondu's fin and adjusted Klein's features to more resemble young Quill during animation.[3] It took 10 to 12 people about four months to complete the animation, with Stoopid Buddy working with Studio Moshi to provide additional animations.[42]
Greg D'Auria serves as the editor for the special,[43] whileStephane Ceretti serves as the visual effects supervisor.[44] Visual effects for the special were created byFramestore,Rodeo FX,Crafty Apes,Sony Pictures Imageworks,Industrial Light & Magic,Wētā FX, Gradient / Secret Lab, andPerception.[44]
John Murphy, the composer ofVol. 3, was confirmed to score theHoliday Special in January 2022.[45] The special's soundtrack, consisting of Murphy's score and two original songs, was released digitally byHollywood Records andMarvel Music on November 23, 2022.[46]
Gunn chose the music for theHoliday Special "very early". He wrote the lyrics to the opening song, "I Don't Know What Christmas Is (But Christmastime Is Here)", and approachedRhett Miller from the group the Old 97's to help him compose it.[6] "Here It Is Christmastime", an existing song of the Old 97's, was also used and re-recorded with Bacon for the end of the special.[6][47] In addition to "I Don't Know What Christmas Is (But Christmastime Is Here)" and "Here It Is Christmastime", other songs featured in the special include: "Fairytale of New York" bythe Pogues featuringKirsty MacColl, "Dead by X-Mas" byHanoi Rocks, "Christmas Treat" byJulian Casablancas, "Is This Christmas?" bythe Wombats, "Just Like Christmas" byLow, "I Want an Alien for Christmas" byFountains of Wayne, "Christmastime" bythe Smashing Pumpkins, "Christmas Wrapping" bythe Waitresses, and "Mrs. Claus" byLittle Jackie.[47]
In August 2022, aLegoadvent calendar set forThe Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special was revealed,[48] which was released on September 1.[49] The official trailer for the special was released on October 25, 2022. Amanda Lamadrid atScreen Rant felt the trailer offered "a wild and heartwarming romp" and "more insight as to the wild storyline". Lamadrid noted how it depicted "one of the series' classic jokes in charming fashion", particularly Peter Quill referring to Kevin Bacon as "the greatest hero on Earth" inGuardians of the Galaxy (2014).[50] By November 2022,smart home companyVivint released a commercial promoting the special and their products.[51] Two episodes of the seriesMarvel Studios: Legends were released on November 23, 2022 on Disney+, exploring Mantis and Drax using footage from their previous MCU appearances;[52] the episodes were removed shortly after as they revealed plot details relevant to the special.[53]
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special was released onDisney+ on November 25, 2022.[11] A special screening occurred on November 18, 2022, atNeueHouse in Hollywood.[54] It is the conclusion of Phase Four of the MCU.[29]
Whip Media, which tracks viewership data for the more than 21 million worldwide users of itsTV Time app, calculated thatThe Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special was the top-streamed film in the U.S. for the week ending November 27.[55][56] It remained among the five most-streamed films from the week ending December 11 to the week ending December 18.[57][58] Streaming analytics firm FlixPatrol, which monitors daily updated VOD charts and streaming ratings across the globe, reported thatThe Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special was the third most-popular title on Disney+ in December 2022.[59]
Thereview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes reported a 94% approval rating, with an average score of 7.7/10, based on 62 reviews. The site's critic's consensus states: "More of a stocking stuffer than a fully-rounded parcel, this yuletide excursion is a delightful showcase for Drax, Mantis, and a very game Kevin Bacon."[60]Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the special a score of 82 out of 100 based on eight critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[61]
Jordan Moreau ofVariety felt the special was "stuffed with funny, feel-good Christmas joy, and it's one of the best pieces of content Marvel Studios has released in years." Moreau praised James Gunn's delivery of his "signature, laugh-out-loud, zany" style in the special with a short runtime, how it "pays homage to the nostalgic tropes of Christmas specials", the depiction of Drax and Mantis, and its soundtracks and songs.[62] Angie Han ofThe Hollywood Reporter felt that the special was "funny enough to provoke out-loud laughter and poignant enough to elicit that telltale sting behind the eyes, if not quite enough to draw full-on tears. Maybe it lacks the heft of a trueGuardians feature or series, but it's exactly the holiday confection you'd want from this motley crew: shiny, fluffy and just odd enough to feel personal" and lauded the "delightfully eclectic" soundtrack. Han also felt that the special became the first Marvel Cinematic Universe entry to have a Christmas-themed story instead of setting it in December to coincide with the holiday, such asIron Man 3 (2013) andHawkeye (2021). However, Han noted the special being "as slick a bit of marketing as they come... to remind audiences how much we love these characters, who haven't headlined a big-screen adventure in five years [sinceGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)]", and how it had a script "sprinkled with crumbs of awkward exposition" and was "underwritten by the kind of studio clout and money that can get a Kevin Bacon to show up and hang out with aliens for a few days."[63]
Chris Hewitt gave the special 3 out of 5 stars forEmpire Online, feeling that it was "so frothy, and fun, and so clearly not intended to be taken seriously." Hewitt described the special asGuardians 2.5 "with a little Christmas riffing on the soundtrack", a "variety show with the Guardians at its centre", and a "ballsy nod" toStar Wars Holiday Special (1978). Hewitt praised Bautista and Klementieff's performances but criticized the scenes involving Bacon as "disappointingly toothless".[64] Chris Evangelista of/Film felt the special was "mighty silly and mighty light. In fact, it's so light that it's a wonder it even exists", adding that "writer-director James Gunn didn't really have enough to fill out an entire special, which means we're treated to multiple musical numbers and multiple montages to pad the runtime. At the same time, Gunn and his cast manage to slip in one final emotional beat that genuinely works." Evangelista noted that majority of the Guardians only did quick cameos, particularly Peter Quill, Rocket, and Groot, but saw Klementieff and Bautista's characters "an unlikely but very amusing pair". Evangelista also felt that Bacon was "fine, and clearly game to have fun here. But the concept of bringing [him] back for Quill is never as funny as the special seems to think it is" while criticizing the special's "predictable humor and not one but two different lengthy musical numbers that play more like time-fillers than anything else."[65]
| Award | Year | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California On Location Awards | December 4, 2022 | Location Manager of the Year – Episodic Television – Half Hour | Michael Wesley | Nominated | [66][67] |
| Children's and Family Emmy Awards | December 16–17, 2023 | Outstanding Fiction Special | The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special | Won | [68][69] |
| Outstanding Directing For A Single Camera Program | James Gunn | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Music Direction and Composition for a Live Action Program | John Murphy | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Art Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic Design | Alan Hook, Dave Scott, Sam Avila, Zach Fannin, Lorin Flemming, Brittany Hites, Alex McCarroll, Rosemary Brandenburg | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Costume Design/Styling | Judianna Makovsky | Won | |||
| Outstanding Makeup and Hairstyling | Cassie Russek, Stephanie Fenner, Alexei Dmitrew, Melissa Meinhart, Scott Stoddard, LuAndra Whitehurst | Won | |||
| Outstanding Stunt Coordination for a Live Action Program | Heidi Moneymaker | Won | |||
| Golden Trailer Awards | June 29, 2023 | Best Voice Over for a TV/Streaming Series (Trailer/Teaser/TV Spot) | The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special | Nominated | [70][71] |
| Best BTS/EPK for a TV/Streaming Series (Under 2 Minutes) | The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special | Won | |||
| Hollywood Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist Guild Awards | February 11, 2023 | Best Period and/or Character Makeup – Television Special, One Hour or More Live Program Series | Michael Ornelaz, Matt Sprunger, Jon Moore, Robin Pritchard | Won | [72] |
| Best Special Makeup Effects – Television Special, One Hour or More Live Program Series | Alexei Dmitriew, Scott Stoddard, LuAndra Whitehurst, Mo Meinhart | Won | |||
| Best Period and/or Character Hair Styling – Television Special, One Hour or More Live Program Series | Cassie Russek, Amber Shani Hamilton, Sean Smith, Dugg Kirkpatrick | Nominated |
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