However, whilst the previous trailer was an uncharacteristically solemn affair, this latest teaser gave us everything we want from a Guardians movie - namely, lots of jokes and intergalactic fights.
https://youtu.be/JqcncLPi9zw
Here's our scene-by-scene breakdown of the trailer.
Previously On Guardians Of The Galaxy...
The trailer opens with a brief recap of what's happened since the Guardians had their last solo adventure in 2017 (yes, it's been six years since Vol. 2), with Star-Lord narrating a flashback detailing the events of both Infinity War and Endgame.
But whilst this initially describes an epic tale of love and loss, it quickly takes a turn, with Pratt's hero stating that after Gamora came back to life, "she came back a total dick".
This is intercut with a sequence of Gamora angrily throwing her former lover - whose pre-Endgame memory she no longer remembers - at a wall, suggesting that Peter Quill will have quite the mission on his hands restoring his past relationship.
This is, of course, just his take on events. Karen Gillan's Nebula ends this sequence by saying that he "left out some important information, but that's the gist of it".
Meet The High Evolutionary
We then cut forward to the Guardians' latest mission, as they go to meet the High Evolutionary, played by Gunn's Peacemaker star Chukwudi Iwuji.
At this point, the trailer reveals that his backstory has been tweaked slightly from the comics, where he made his debut as one of Thor's primary villains.
Here, we discover that he's the one responsible for Rocket's transformation, all in the name of his desire to create a "perfect society".
Rocket's Past
Gunn has previously stated that his biggest motivation to make this third and final Guardians film was to wrap up Rocket's backstory, and it looks like we're going to be fully delving into his past, with shots of Baby Rocket being experimented on.
We may not get the High Evolutionary's specific plans here, but Bradley Cooper's raccoon does give us some insight via voiceover: "He didn't want to make things perfect, he just hated things the way they are."
The trailer also teases Rocket's new love interest, an otter with robotic arms. While their identity isn't revealed exactly, we know from the comics that this is likely to be his soulmate Lady Lylla.
Intriguingly, the casting for this role hasn't been officially revealed, although we know that Daniela Melchior (The Suicide Squad) has been cast in a small role. Could she fit the bill?
A previous fan theory was that Lady Gaga would take it on, although this was shut down on Instagram by Gunn himself last December. A shame, as we would have loved this A Star Is Born reunion.
Nebula's New Look
As Rainbow's Since You Been Gone powers up on the soundtrack - our first taste of what to expect in the final Awesome Mixtape - we see that Nebula has had a makeover ahead of the team's battle with Adam Warlock (Will Poulter).
Following in the footsteps of Rocket, she's got herself a new arm, which invites immediate visual comparisons to Terminator 2: Judgement Day.
Her arm can transform into a flaming sword, which is above everything else, really cool.
Warlock On The Hunt
The plot itself remains as vague as you'd expect from a secretive Marvel teaser, although several of the major set pieces are mapped out here.
The gang jump onto an asteroid and bounce around in Wes Anderson-style spacesuits, but more intriguingly, after this intergalactic adventure they appear to head back to Earth - or if not Peter Quill's home planet, somewhere with an equally mundane looking suburbia.
This is where we get most of the explosive wreckage and seemingly for the location for their battle against Adam Warlock, who we see flying through the flames in their pursuit.
It's a sequence intercut with Drax (Dave Bautista) making an emotional speech, talking about how he's "grateful to fight" alongside his friends.
Yes, this trailer might be funnier than the first, but it's still pointing towards an emotional climax - speaking of which...
It's All About Family
In-between several moments of explosive action, we are reminded that the Guardians movies are exactly like Vin Diesel's other blockbuster franchise: that's right, they're all about FAMILY.
The fight sequences are intercut with joyous moments of the gang having fun together, giving us a new look at Cosmo The Space Dog and a new character who has already become a fan favourite, Blurp, who we see in a split-second shot next to Peter and Gamora appearing to reconcile their relationship.
More Fights, More Jumpsuits
Elsewhere, it looks like the movie will see our heroes get imprisoned again, based on their stylish matching jumpsuits.
I suspect this will only be a brief portion of the plot - not least because we see Drax throwing prison guards at the wall as part of an attempted escape.
An Emotional Ending?
Gunn has promised/threatened (delete as appropriate) that some of the Guardians will die in this movie, and the trailer seems to tease Star-Lord may be a victim.
We see Nebula carrying his lifeless body as Rocket's voiceover intones: "We'll all fly away together into the forever and beautiful sky."
Combine this with the shot of Nebula, Drax, and Mantis crying, and all the signs are pointing towards an emotional climax.
We'll have to get the tissues ready in time for when it hits UK cinemas in May.
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 will be released in UK cinemas on 5th May 2023.Shop our Guardians Of The Galaxy merch here.
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