Marvel, in a very basic sense, is growing up. That Logan didn't spend half of its runtime building up a sequel or overtly referencing its cumbersome mythology made the film itself feel like a revelation. That the James Mangold film felt like a wholly satisfying, singular movie was a triumph in itself, which is kinda the problem. The fact that Mangold made a good movie - and it is just that: good - highlights the impressive work that Mangold, his actors, and the writers did as well as the deeply compromised, episodic nature of nearly every single Marvel movie that has come out since Iron Man. Only Logan, Ant-Man, Iron Man 1 & 3, and, arguably, Doctor Strange have the feeling of being uniquely complete by the time the credits roll, and that's not even getting into issues of tension (Strange) and what I can only call thematic condescension (Logan) - I get it, you like Shane and westerns in general.

Similar talk of maturation has been radiating off of the hotly anticipated Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, which will be hitting theaters on May 23rd and has the buzz of a thoroughbred. In a recent tweet, Gunn took an around-the-way approach to confirming that the movie will indeed have a post-credits scene, which suggests that the movie will still very much be setting up events for Avengers: Infinity War. That's great news that's not great news for signs of Gunn's film trying to reach the admirable heights of Logan, Ant-Man, and Iron Man 3. Indeed, even the clip that debuted at the Kid's Choice Awards last night, which you can take a look at below, suggests that the tone of the film is generally similar and really, I have no issue with that. In the realm of episodic movies, Guardians of the Galaxy is head and shoulders above its ilk and Gunn's promise of more emotionally substantive themes in the sequel remains encouraging. In other words, can this movie just come out already?!

Here's the new Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 clip from the Kid's Choice Awards:

video removed per request from the studio

Here's the official synopsis for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2:

Set to the backdrop of ‘Awesome Mixtape #2,’ Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 continues the team’s adventures as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos. The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mysteries of Peter Quill’s true parentage. Old foes become new allies and fan-favorite characters from the classic comics will come to our heroes’ aid as the Marvel cinematic universe continues to expand.