The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is an American television special written and directed by James Gunn for the streaming service Disney+, based on Marvel Comics featuring the superhero team Guardians of the Galaxy. It is the second Marvel Studios Special Presentation in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films and television series of the franchise. The special was produced by Marvel Studios, and follows the Guardians of the Galaxy as they celebrate Christmas and search for a present for their leader, Peter Quill. The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special was released on Disney+ on November 25, 2022, serving as the conclusion of Phase Four of the MCU. The special received positive reviews from critics for its humour, Gunn’s direction, and the cast’s performances. It received multiple awards nominations, including wins at the Children’s and Family Emmy Awards.
Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper Sean Gunn and Michael Rooker reprise their roles as the Guardians from previous MCU media, with the special also featuring the band Old 97’s and Kevin Bacon as a fictionalised version of himself. Gunn had worked on the concept for the special during the production of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) before it was announced in December 2020. Filming occurred from February to late April 2022 in Atlanta, and Los Angeles, during the production of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023).
The Guardians of the Galaxy have purchased Knowhere from the Collector and taken in Cosmo the Spacedog as a new member. As Christmas approaches, Kraglin tells the Guardians a childhood story of how Yondu ruined Christmas for Peter Quill. Mantis discusses with Drax her plan to find a perfect Christmas present for Quill, who is still depressed following the loss of Gamora. After brainstorming, they decide to go to Earth and retrieve Quill’s childhood hero, Kevin Bacon.
Mantis and Drax arrive in Hollywood, and search for Bacon. After spending time at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and a bar, they get a map of celebrities’ residences and find Bacon’s home in Beverley Hills. Bacon, who is waiting for his family to come home, is terrified by the appearance of Mantis and Drax and tries to escape. Police arrive to help, but Mantis places them and Bacon in a trance before taking Bacon with them. As they return to Knowhere, Mantis and Drax are disappointed to learn that Bacon is an actor and not a real-life hero.
Later, the Guardians surprise Quill with a Christmas celebration, but Quill is horrified to learn that Bacon had been kidnapped, demanding that he be returned home. On the Guardians’ new spaceship, the Bowie, Bacon learns from Kraglin how he inspired Quill’s heroism and decides to celebrate Christmas with the Guardians before returning home. After the celebration, Quill reveals to Mantis that Yondu eventually changed his mind about Christmas and gifted him a pair of blasters which now serve as his primary weapons. Mantis confides in him that she is Quill’s half-sister, after years of refusing to tell him the truth out of fear of reminding him of his father Ego’s misdeeds, to Quill’s surprise and elation.
