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| Author | Mia Blakeney |
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has kicked off the summer blockbuster season with a stellar opening weekend in the UK, with the biggest Friday to Sunday total of 2023 to date.
It grossed an impressive £9.2m in three days, and a weekly total of £12m (including previews) at the UK box office. The film had the strongest three day opening of the year, and knocked The Super Mario Bros. Movie off the top spot after its four week streak.
Guardians of the Galaxy has proven to be an extremely popular franchise with super-hero fans, with it’s humour, emotion and range of character storylines. In the UK, Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 1 opened with £6.4m and finished on £28.6m, while Vol. 2 opened with £13.1m and finished on £41m.
At the global box office, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 achieved an estimated $282.1m, exceeding expectations.
Last week, director of the Guardians trilogy James Gunn passionately spoke about making good superhero movies for the big screen. Reported by Indiewire, he stated this "weird belief that Marvel and DC hat each other or somehow are polar opposites. Our job is the same. We want to get people into the theatres to see movies. That's what matters."
“The more good Marvel movies are, the better it is for DC movies. The more good DC movies, the better it is for Marvel movies” he added. This will be Gunn’s last Marvel film before he jumps ship to the DC Universe, bringing his passion for the super-hero genre and cinema with him.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has been received incredibly well, with a 95% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics have also enjoyed the final film in the Guardians trilogy, many moved by the storyline and the emotional ties to the characters.
Awards Radar editor Joey Magidson tweeted: “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is full of heart and brought me to tears on multiple occasions. @JamesGunn making it Rocket’s story pays off big. It’s not what you’re necessarily expecting, but it really does land. A perfect ending, too.”
“GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3 is full of stakes, emotion & feels like a solid ending (good thing!)” agreed Next Best Picture editor Lauren LaMagna. “The production design & set pieces are some of Marvel’s strongest. It’s long, but the theme of found family is & will always be its strength. I’ll miss these misfits �� #GotGVol3”
The film also introduced British actor Will Poulter as Adam Warlock, and Marvel fans are already very excited for his next big appearance in the franchise.
Jacob Kleinman, Executive Editor at Inverse tweeted: “#GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol3 is the best Marvel movie in years. Perfect blend of humour, heart, and action with an epic third act that doesn’t devolve into CGI mush. Will Poulter is a legend.”
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is out now, available to see in cinemas across the UK.