Guardians of the Galaxy 2

Rumors of the Guardians of the Galaxy crew appearing in Avengers: Infinity War have been circulating in increments: First there were reports (later confirmed) of Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord joining the lineup, followed by rumors of Rocket Raccoon and Groot, and, more recently, an alleged casting call revealing that the entire team would be crossing over for Marvel’s next big Avengers event. Now, Guardians star Zoe Saldana has confirmed her involvement in Infinity War, and while we wait to find out if the rest of her co-stars are joining her, Marvel has released two new images from their next outing.

Marvel Studios's latest venture, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is only months away, and that means everyone's favorite ubiquitous collectible company Funko is ready to just go overload with its output once again. Whether it's key rings, blind bags or the reliable Funko Pop vinyl itself, there's something for all sorts of fans, so long as you're a fan of the Guardians of the Galaxy. We can't stress that last point enough.

The McConaissance is still upon us, and Matthew McConaughey is in high demand. He almost had a role in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, but instead opted for the movie adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower. With the Guardians sequel poised to rake in the billions, why take a chance on a franchise-starter that might not have the same box office heft? McConaughey explained that he chose it for just that reason, and because he didn’t want to join a franchise as an afterthought.

Baby Groot may be in Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 for really real reasons that are super important to the plot and not at all as a ploy to sell adorable toys, but that doesn't mean the pint-sized version of the hero can't have it both ways. Though much of merchandising plan for Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 remains a secret, we have seen some of the toys we can expect to hit shelves this spring and beyond. Baby Groot may have been absent from those initial reveals, but just ahead of the holiday, NECA is here to assure us Baby Groot won't be forgotten.

After experiencing the utter joy that is Dancing Baby Groot in the Guardians of the Galaxy post-credits scene, his inclusion in Vol. 2 seems like a real no-brainer — especially for Marvel and Disney, which stand to make serious bank off of that adorable, wide-eyed little twig in merchandising alone. But according to director James Gunn, Baby Groot’s involvement in the sequel has nothing to do with merchandising at all (though I’m sure it doesn’t hurt the bottom line in that department).

We’ve done our waiting, and now it’s finally here — feast your eyes on the first official Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 trailer! All of our favorites are back, plus a few new faces and one very big tentacle monster. This trailer keeps the rock music vibe of the first movie alive with their choice of Sweet’s “Fox on the Run,” and it looks just as fun, if not even more fun, than its predecessor.

Dangerous business, making trailers these days. When a beloved franchise unveils the first look at its latest installment, they can be sure that the devoted fanbase will go through each and every frame with a fine-toothed comb, on the hunt for any context-free images that may hint at a new character, location, or plot development. In the worst cases, a trailer becomes a maddening game of keep away between the editor cutting it and the fans itching to strip-mine it for spoilers. James Gunn, as he’s readied the first trailer for his upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy sequel, has had to learn this the hard way.

While Marvel and Sony are now playing in the same superhero sandbox, Marvel and Fox’s relationship remains a little less…cooperative. But there may be hope yet for an eventual collaboration of some kind, as the writers behind Deadpool have revealed that the two studios worked together to swap characters for their respective cinematic universes. You shouldn’t get your hopes up for the X-Men to appear in an Avengers film anytime soon, but it’s definitely optimistic news for Marvel fans.

Well that was quick! Not long after debuting the first official teaser poster, James Gunn has revealed the first honest-to-goodness teaser for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 — and if you were digging that poster, you’re going to love this teaser, which features the delightfully familiar sound of “ooga chaka, ooga chaka, ooga ooga chaka.” Everyone sing along!

Doctor Strange could come out of nowhere and wow us all, but barring that, it’s been a lackluster year for superheroes at the movies. And as if responding to our culturewide cry for help (or at least a little fun from time to time), James Gunn and the crowd-pleasing Guardians of the Galaxy franchise have returned to get audiences psyched up for the impending sequel, cheekily titled Vol. 2, as if the second installment in cassette-obsessed Star-Lord’s mixtape series. The first theatrical poster is here at last, obviously: