Director James Gunn continues to keep the hype train chugging along for his upcoming Marvel sequel, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, with the filmmaker revealing that Marvel Studios Overlord Kevin Feige is “really, really, really stoked.” While speaking with Collider, not only does Gunn tease the sheer quality of the movie, he also heaps praise on the performance of franchise newcomer Chukwudi Iwuji, as well as warning audiences that the Guardians of the Galaxy threequel will be a rough ride.

Chukwudi Iwuji joined the roster of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 back in November, and while nothing has yet been revealed about the role he is playing, there has been a lot of speculation from eager and curious fans. Suggestions from The Silver Surfer to Beta Ray Bill and everything in between has been touted, and though he was sadly unable to give anything away, the actor himself has recently responded to such theories. “I saw those [rumors] recently, I’ve seen that,” Iwuji began. “I saw Silver Surfer, I saw Nova, I’ve seen [many]. For me to wrap my head around the fact that I am the subject of speculation around the Internet is kind of fun. But I have to stay mum, I can’t tell you. I’d love to.”

“It’s going great. Chukwudi, who plays Murn in Peacemaker, is one of the main characters in the movie and people are freaking out over how good this guy is. Literally freaking out. I think that I’m really happy. I gave a bunch of scenes to Marvel right before Christmas break. Kevin [Feige] went… They were all really, really, really stoked. But also, it’s not going to be the movie people… It’s different than what people are going to expect. It’s a hard road, but I’m really happy with it so far.”

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James Gunn is not the first to hype Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, with returning star Chris Pratt having taken to social media quickly after filming began to say, “Day 1 in the can. Honestly could not have started off better. Hit the ground running with a delicate, emotional, funny, wild, complicated scene and everyone absolutely killed,” the actor said. “So grateful to be puppeteered by my friend and brother the mad genius James Gunn. Oh My God I promise you… this movie will be worth the wait.”

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Director James Gunn describing the upcoming sequel as “a hard road” is just one of several suggestions that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 could be the most emotional outing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Not much has been officially revealed regarding the plot of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3., but Gunn has previously stated that it will delve into the tragic backstory of Rocket Raccoon. If that were not already set to be sad enough, the director has also suggested that the likes of Star-Lord, Drax, and Rocket are not as safe as they were before. “We know most of them are going to make it out alive. At least for two movies,” Gunn ominously teased.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is scheduled to be released on May 5, 2023, as part of Phase Four of the MCU.