Star-Lord is officially back in action for Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2. Marvel's latest mega-blockbuster is lining up to be one of the most discussed movies of the year (ranking third according to Metacritic) and has earned a Certified Fresh Rotten Tomatoes score of 81% on the Tomatometer. James Gunn, the writer and director for the first Guardians of the Galaxy, returns with a satisfying sequel. In Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2, the squad assembles once more, following Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel). Other stars include Yondu (Michael Rooker), Nebula (Karen Gillan) and Pom Klementieff (Mantis). Kurt Russell boldly joins the cast as Ego the Living Planet, while Elizabeth Debicki smolders in gold as Ayesha.

According to Box Office Mojo, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 has officially grossed $246 million domestically, cashing in at $383 million from the international box office. While the numbers might come as no surprise for Marvel fans, several forecasters had initially set their sights on higher numbers overall. Disney and Marvel execs are certainly smug, given that the newly released King Arthur: Legend of the Sword seems to be a gigantic flop. With a whopping $175 million budget, the new King Arthur adaptation sadly couldn't even surpass $15 million during opening weekend.

Much like the original, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is a charming foray to the intergalactic side of the Marvel universe. As charismatic as ever, Chris Pratt reprises his role as Star-Lord, and he effortlessly leads the way with his irreverent one-liners. “The first Guardians movie is about becoming a family, and this one is about being a family,” Director James Gunn said to Entertainment Weekly. “And being a family’s a lot harder than becoming a family. That song, for me, means the Guardians can never break the chain — and also maybe it’s about, they’re gonna break it. Who knows?” 

While we won’t venture too far into spoiler territory, the film is fun, light-hearted and definitely worth watching. Steve Bautista and Pom have some surprisingly memorable moments, while Bradley Cooper as Rocket and Vin Diesel as Groot undoubtedly steal the show with every scene. Continuing the tradition of its predecessor, Guardians of the Galaxy Awesome Mix Vol. 2 is filled to the brim with tracks that'll have you singing along with nostalgia. While some critics have pointed out that the sequel tries to do too much, overall, it’s clever dialogue and dazzling special effects are bound to delight Marvel fans. Nerdist assembled a great list of easter eggs, so be sure to check them out during a second (or third!) viewing.

If you're eager to get your next Marvel fix, you won't need to wait for much longer. Spider-Man: Homecoming is slated for a July 7th release, while Thor: Ragnarok is bound to please with a release date of November 3rd. Next year, fans have already got their hearts set on seeing Black Panther, which is due to hit theaters on February 16, 2018. After that, the hotly anticipated Avengers: Infinity War is set to release on May 4, 2018, along with Deadpool 2 on June 1, 2018 and Ant-Man and the Wasp on July 6, 2018. In addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there’s also plenty more Netflix additions to get excited for, including The Defenders and season two of Jessica Jones and Luke Cage. Stay tuned for more about Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3, nerd news, and updates on all things geek here at Nerd Kung Fu!

Written by Jade Nicolette

Twitter: @nicolette_style