3 Years Later, Marvel Studios Celebrates Its 94% Rated Christmas Special

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As the holidays begin, Marvel Studios is highlighting some festive favorites. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has a history of offering fun, year-end entertainment, and there’s plenty to choose from – including special episodes on streaming, a full series set in a winter wonderland on Disney+, and even a major movie release.

As a huge Marvel fan, I’ve noticed they’re really pushing the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special lately – it came out just over three years ago, and they’re having fun with it on social media! They started a thread on their official X account with a quiz all about the special. It’s things like, ‘What song plays during the gift exchange?’ or ‘What did Nebula get Rocket for Christmas?’ – a fun way to get fans re-engaged, honestly.

Okay, so after you take the quiz, you get a fun little report card telling you just how much you really know about the holiday special. It’s scored and gives you a superlative – basically, how well you mastered all the quirky details, from lines like “It’s a Knowehere Christmas Miracle!” to, of course, anything involving Baby Groot saying “I Am (Not) Groot.”

Fans still love The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special three years after it first came out. The special, directed by James Gunn, has a very high rating of 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, and audiences agree, giving it an 81% score.

The film received a 94% audience score, which is the same rating as blockbuster Marvel movies like Avengers: Endgame and the first Iron Man. This shows how well-regarded the film is by viewers.

As a huge Guardians fan, I was so excited for their holiday special! It stars Chris Pratt as Star-Lord and Dave Bautista as Drax, along with the rest of the main team, and it’s basically a fun little story meant to connect the second and third Guardians movies. The plot is that the Guardians are trying to lift Star-Lord’s spirits by giving him a proper Christmas, which is hilarious because, well, they’re mostly aliens who have no idea how Christmas works! You can watch The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special right now on Disney+.

Every Other MCU Project To Watch This Holiday Season

Hawkeye

Premiering in 2021, Hawkeye was the first Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) TV series specifically set during Christmas. The Disney+ show takes place in New York City during a stressful holiday season and centers on Jeremy Renner’s character, Clint Barton, as he teams up with his archery student, Kate Bishop (played by Hailee Steinfeld), to fight the dangerous Tracksuit Mafia.

Previous Marvel Cinematic Universe films often took place around Christmas, but Hawkeye was the first to make the holiday season a core part of the story. As Clint and Kate Bishop navigate New York City, the Christmas atmosphere – with its trees and lights – is ever-present, while a sense of urgency builds as they race against time to make it home for Christmas.

Ever since people started talking about a possible second season of Hawkeye, fans have been wondering if it will again take place during Christmas time, or if the holiday setting was just for the first season.

What If Happy Hogan Saved Christmas

For many Marvel fans, new episodes of the animated series What If…? have become a holiday tradition over the past few years. While the episodes aren’t specifically about Christmas, their release during the holidays felt like a special gift for fans.

As a longtime follower of Marvel’s animated ‘What If…?’ series, I have to admit, holiday specials weren’t exactly a regular thing. But they did give it a shot! In December 2024, right on Christmas Eve actually, they released a fun little episode called ‘What If Happy Hogan Saved Christmas’ as part of Season 2. It was a surprisingly festive detour for the series.

This fun, fantastical tale follows Happy Hogan, played by Jon Favreau, as he defends Avengers Tower from a surprise attack by the villain Justin Hammer, all while the Avengers are celebrating Christmas.

Iron Man 3

I was just rewatching Iron Man 3 on Disney+, and it totally feels like a holiday movie, even though it’s not officially one. It’s set during Christmas, which puts it in that same tricky spot as Die Hard – is it, or isn’t it? Either way, it’s a great watch during the holidays!

The whole movie is set in December, and there’s a scene where Robert Downey Jr., as Tony Stark, puts on one of his Iron Man suits while a version of “Jingle Bells” plays.

Later in the movie, he meets a young boy in a snowy American town. This is where the film really captures the holiday spirit, with Christmas trees and colorful lights visible in the background.

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2025-12-24 18:05