It’s been a good chunk of time since audiences worldwide have seen the Guardians of the Galaxy on screen. While they will be making an appearance in this summer's Thor: Love and Thunder, their next solo adventure will come nearly six years since their last installment. When it comes to the group’s next stories, what new faces can the fans expect to see in the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special and the subsequent Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3?
At the very least, there will be Will Poulter’s Adam Warlock. The character was first teased in the post-credits scene of 2017's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and then promptly never talked about again.
Then there will be Chukwudi Iwuji’s mystery character, who is rumored to be the villain of the piece. Which bad guy will he bring to life? All signs point to The High Evolutionary, a cosmic being known for his genetic experimentation.
Now, thanks to a wrap gift unveiled by director James Gunn, another character has been confirmed to be part of their future adventures.
Cosmo Confirmed for Holiday Special
Ahead of the official wrap of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, director James Gunn shared one of his end of productions gifts with the world on Twitter.
The present in question features eight different Christmas ornaments, spotlighting characters such as Mantis, Drax, Nebula, Groot (who looks to have grown into an older adolescent), Star-Lord, Kraglin, and Rocket. Also, surprisingly present is Cosmo, the Russian telepathic dog, first seen in 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy within the Collector's residence. This seemingly confirms the canine's involvement in one or both of the upcoming Marvel Studios projects.
The spacefaring dog is looking as precious as ever, all dressed up as Rudolph with a red nose, antlers, and a shiny golden bell.
Festive decorations aside, Cosmo's spacesuit seems to be updated from his original costume from Guardians of the Galaxy, suggesting that he's been enough of a good boy to earn himself a new suit.
The caption on the present thanks Gunn for his "hard work" on behalf of the figureheads of Marvel Studios:
"Thank you so much for all your hard work! We couldn't have made this Holiday Special without you. All the best, Kevin, Lou, Victoria, Sara, David, and Courtney."
Everyone's Favorite New MCU Character
Cosmo has been a character fans have wanted to see on screen properly since the haphazardly-included Easter Egg for him was included in Guardians of the Galaxy. While many hoped man’s best friend would come back in Vol. 2, or even Avengers: Infinity War, they were left disappointed.
Thankfully, it seems that either, or potentially both, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and The Holiday Special will be remedying that. Fans of the Russian telepathic canine will finally get what they’ve desired.
As for what he may be up to in the upcoming sequels, his place in the comics is being the head of security at Knowhere. While that location has a different status quo in the MCU, a version of it could still make it into Vol. 3, especially given the massive time jump since Vol. 2 – roughly twelve years if it takes place in the universe’s modern day.
While Cosmo isn’t known to be a member of the Guardians formerly, he is often one of their key allies. Fingers are crossed that James Gunn is carving out an important space for the beloved character.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 hits theaters on May 5, 2023, and the Holiday Special will be released on Disney+ by the end of this year.
