Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 is cementing itself as one of the most beloved entries from the Marvel Cinematic Universe in recent history, as it only dropped 50% of its gross during its second weekend in cinemas, according to The Numbers. The number is quite impressive, considering most tent pole superhero blockbusters tend to drop in significantly bigger amounts during their second weekend at the big screen. James Gunn's sequel has already grossed $528 million at the global box office, surpassing the total gross of the MCU's previous entry, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The found family of "a-holes" continues their successful history, as the narrative that began in their first film comes to a close.
On the domestic side of things, the movie has managed to earn $213 million, and it set to surpass Paul Rudd's third adventure as Scott Lang tomorrow. Other than that, only The Super Mario Bros. Movie will be above it at the domestic chart, meaning that Chris Pratt will hold the two top spots at this year's domestic box office for the time being. Merely days before Fast X speeds into theatres, Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 has a short window to make the best out of its big screen presence, given how the Toretto family will surely make a big statement when they return.
In the latest Guardians film, the unconventional team must dive deep into Rocket's (Bradley Cooper) past in order to save him, hoping they can find a solution to their problem before it's too late, and their friend is lost forever. After years of teasing the character's history on the big screen, Gunn gives audiences a look behind the curtain, showing how Rocket was experimented on by the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji) in his endless quest for the perfect society. The intelligent raccoon wouldn't be the only creature affected by the process, with Rocket's first family also suffering painful modifications to their bodies.
Star-Lord Tries to Move On in GOTG Vol. 3
The emotional subplot running alongside Rocket's determination to confront his creator is Peter Quill (Pratt) trying to move on from the death of Gamora (Zoe Saldaña). Even if there is a variant of the fearless warrior running around with the Ravagers, Star-Lord can't quite live with the fact that she's not the person he fell in love with, convinced that he can form a connection with the alternate timeline version of his former partner. Vol. 3 follows the journey of the team's leader as he tries to find a new life for himself, focused on his own recovery and not worried about where Gamora could be. Clearly, the audience connected with this story, contributing to the movie's overall success.
You can check out Collider's exclusive interview with James Gunn and Chris Pratt below: