Prolific Writer and Director James Gunn set to return for GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3 and Set the Stage for Phase 4 of the MCU

With just over a week to go until GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 hurtles onto our screens it has been announced that prolific Writer and Director James Gunn will return to the intergalactic superhero franchise for GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3.

Whilst it’s no shock to anyone, it is the news Marvel fans have been waiting for since Gunn let slip that Marvel Studios had put a third Guardians of the Galaxy into development, however at the time he was unsure if he wanted to be a part of round three.

One month on, Gunn has made his decision, posting on his Facebook page "So, after many months of ruminations and discussions, I know the answer, I could save this answer for the first, random interviewer to ask me during the press junket but instead I thought I'd share it with the most important people in the Guardiansverse – you, the fans, who have been so incredibly supportive and enthusiastic over the past five years, it has moved me to tears on a regular basis.

So, yes, I'm returning to write and direct Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. In the end, my love for Rocket, Groot, Gamora, Star-Lord, Yondu, Mantis, Drax, and Nebula – and some of the other forthcoming heroes – goes deeper than you guys can possibly imagine, and I feel they have more adventures to go on and things to learn about themselves and the wonderful and sometimes terrifying universe we all inhabit. And, like in both Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, we will work on creating the story that goes beyond what you expect."

Not only is he coming back for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 his goal is to bring the story he started back in the 2014 blockbuster to a close, and set up the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe adding "Much of what's happened in the MCU for the past ten or so years has been leading, in a big way, to the Avengers' Infinity War. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will happen after all that," he revealed. "It will conclude the story of this iteration of the Guardians of the Galaxy, and help catapult both old and new Marvel characters into the next ten years and beyond.

I will be working side-by-side with Kevin Feige and the gang to help design where these stories go, and make sure the future of the Marvel Cosmic Universe is as special and authentic and magical as what we have created so far. I promise you, the fans, I'll do it all with integrity and love and respect for the characters."

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 hits Cinemas and IMAX on April 28 and stars Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillan, Kurt Russell, Michael Rooker, Pom Klementieff, Elizabeth Debicki, Nathan Fillion, Michael Rosenbaum with Sylvester Stallone and Glenn Close as Nova Prime and Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper as Groot and Rocket.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Film Page

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 HITS CINEMAS AND IMAX ON APRIL 28