The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special was an absolute delight, and proof Marvel Studios' "Special Presentations" are among the best ideas they've had in this Multiverse Saga era of storytelling.
With James Gunn gearing up to make the leap to DC Studios as its new co-CEO alongside producer Peter Safran, he won't be returning to the MCU for any further projects after next May's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. As a result, the only Holiday Specials we're likely to get from him are those set in the DCU (The King Shark Holiday Special, perhaps?).
Last year, there was a lot of confusion over how Groot was brought to life in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, with many left convinced it was actually a practical costume instead of VFX. Gunn soon debunked that, adding that he provided the motion reference for Groot's dancing.
Now, we can see him in action thanks to a fantastic visual effects reel. While he didn't don a motion-capture costume, Gunn can be seen pulling off some impressive moves on set to act as a reference for the talented team of VFX artists who contributed to the project.
There are lots of other noteworthy reveals in the video below, and with production on the special taking place at the same time as Vol. 3, it's clear no corners were cut when it came to the Christmastime adventure's visuals.
"A seasonal showpiece for the amazing Pom Klementieff as Mantis, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is James Gunn’s Marvel masterstroke, and the best Holiday Special ever made," we said in our review of the second Marvel Studios Special Presentation. "A merry Marvel Christmas miracle, it doesn’t get any better than this."
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is now streaming on Disney+.
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