A new character will be debuting in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the first time as a part of The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.Premiering in December 2022 exclusively on Disney+, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is a new in-canon adventure that shows the Guardians during the holiday season. Director James Gunn, who helmed the first two Guardians of the Galaxy films, will be returning for the roughly 40-minute short, which he says will be required viewing for fans of the franchise. Now, Gunn has expanded on his promotion for the special to reveal that it will also be "introducing one of the greatest MCU characters of all time."RELATED: Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Is Nebula and Gamora's Story

While Gunn admitted that his own opinion is subjective and often odd, he has a record of turning obscure comic characters into fan-favorite big screen heroes, such as Yondu in Guardians and Polka Dot Man in The Suicide Squad. Since they first appeared in Marvel Comics, the Guardians of the Galaxy have had dozens of unique members, from Doctor Doom to the X-Men's Kitty Pryde, so the identity of Gunn's new mystery character is anyone's guess.

Before the Guardians of the Galaxy take back the spotlight in their special, they'll be tagging along in Taika Waititi's Thor: Love and Thunder. The film is expected to come out on May 6, 2022 and features the remaining Guardians as supporting characters, with Gunn communicating with Waititi to ensure that the characters were handled consistently ahead of their next big screen outing.

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The galactic heroes are also getting their own video game on October 26, 2021 with the release of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy. While they have previously been featured in titles like Marvel vs. Capcom and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, this will be the first time that the Guardians are in the spotlight as playable characters. Fans can even use the team's MCU costumes if they so choose.

With The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 getting ever closer, James Gunn has begun providing glimpses into the early stages of both projects. The director recently teased fans with his stacks of hand-drawn storyboards for the movie, and confirmed that the projects will film one after another. This comes right after numerous reports that his script for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 left two of its stars crying.

The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special arrives on Disney+ in 2022, while Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 arrives in theaters May 23, 2023.

KEEP READING: James Gunn Would Never Do an R-Rated Guardians Film - Even If Marvel Allowed It

Source: Twitter