Disney and Marvel Studios unveiled a new trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 during Super Bowl LI. Writer/director James Gunn returns to spearhead this highly anticipated sequel, which finds the titular Guardians on another risky mission, this time revolving around the search for Peter Quill’s (Chris Pratt) true father, played by Kurt Russell. Soundtracked by Fleetwood Mac's immortal "The Chain," the new trailer doesn't give away much of anything, which is to its credit.

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Image via Marvel

What we do get is a few new snippets of scenes with the gang, from Vin Diesel's Baby Groot to Michael Rooker's Yondu. There are two memorable exchanges that tease the movie's distinct sense of humor, which the first installment wisely valued just as much as action pyrotechnics. In the early one, Bradley Cooper's Rocket explains to Yondu how to understand the distinct language of Baby Groot. The other one shows the reliable David Bautista trying to warn Pom Klementieff's Mantis of a nearby attack.

Those are the two main scenes that weigh the new trailer, with extra clips of Mantis, Drax, Zoe Saldana's Gamora, and Karen Gillan's Nebula, and the rest of the gang. Another moment signals that many of these characters, specifically Mantis, Yondu, and Nebula, might officially become part of the crew.  That's a major element of what made the first movie so special, particularly in a line of adaptations that is often to rigid in its narrative schemes and general storytelling. Gunn has a real feel for these outsiders and there is a warmth to their relationships that give a certain resonance beyond the admittedly dazzling visuals. Guardians of the Galaxy, like Ant-Man and Doctor Strange, feels like it's own movie even as traces of the endlessly annoying over-arching, multi-film narrative of the Marvel Universe bar them from greatness. One can only hope that when Gunn's highly anticipated sequel hits theaters, it will still have its wild visual palette and engaging story but also the heart that Gunn has cultivated in not only this but all of his films thus far.

Watch the Guardians of the Galaxy 2 Super Bowl commercial below. Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 opens in theaters on May 5th.

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

Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” is directed by James Gunn and stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, featuring Vin Diesel as Groot, Bradley Cooper as Rocket, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Elizabeth Debicki, Chris Sullivan, Sean Gunn, Tommy Flanagan, Laura Haddock and Kurt Russell. Kevin Feige is producing, and Louis D’Esposito, Jonathan Schwartz, Victoria Alonso, Nik Korda and Stan Lee are the executive producers. The screenplay is by James Gunn. Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” blasts into US theaters on May 5, 2017.

 

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