How to watch Guardians of the Galaxy

From left, Dave Bautista as Drax, Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel), Zoe Saldana as Gamora, and Chris Pratt as Peter Quill in "Guardians of the Galaxy." (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Since we went all of 2020 without a new MCU movie, you’ll want to know how to watch Guardians of the Galaxy to get your fix of this iconic film franchise. Director James Gunn had dabbled with elements of superhero films before this, framing them with comedy to tell a complete story and relate to his audience. However, Gunn took his directing abilities to another level in the unexpected breakout of the MCU.

Many speculated about this film's reception before it was released. A general fanbase without extensive knowledge of Marvel Comics wasn’t privy to the Guardians of the Galaxy — A niche comic series that was introduced with a different lineup in the late 1960s. This iteration of the team is the more commonly known and now beloved group including Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoey Saldana), Rocket Racoon (Bradley Cooper), Groot (Vin Diesel) and Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista).

During the film, a motley crew of intergalactic misfits evades a powerful enemy in Ronan the Accuser. We’re not going to spoil anything for those who haven’t seen the film, but Guardians of the Galaxy is a critical part of building what eventually came in the MCU.

MORE: How to watch the Marvel movies in order

How to watch Guardians of the Galaxy on Disney+

A fan-favorite in a collection full of fan-favorites, Guardians of the Galaxy is a must-see film. To easily stream it from any number of devices, you can subscribe to the Disney+ streaming service. For only $5.99 per month, subscribers gain access to a plethora of MCU films in addition to Star Wars properties, Disney original programming and more.

Another option to consider is the Disney+ Bundle, which features three incredible streaming services at two-thirds of the cost. For only $12.99 per month, Disney+ bundle subscribers gain access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu — Three giants in the streaming landscape. It’s a wonderful option to entertain your whole family between the MCU catalog, ESPN+ live sports programming and the massive variety of content on Hulu.

Plus, and I cannot stress this enough, it’ll give you access to stream one of the most entertaining Marvel movies ever made in Guardians of the Galaxy as many times as you want.

How to watch Guardians of the Galaxy everywhere else:

Those who aren’t sold on Disney+ can find different avenues to watch Guardians of the Galaxy starting with Amazon Prime Video, where you can rent the film for $3.99 or purchase it digitally for $18.99. Otherwise, you may want to consider renting it on the iTunes Store, Google Play, Vudu or YouTube at a similar price range to Amazon.

Should you watch Guardians of the Galaxy on Disney+ or somewhere else?

Not everyone is in a position to subscribe — We totally understand! However, those who subscribe to the Disney+ Bundle or a monthly Disney+ subscription would seriously benefit from it.

Think about it like this: You can spend $5.99 to watch any number of MCU films as many times as you want for less than it would cost you to rent two MCU films in a month-long span. If you’re looking to consume as much Marvel content as you can or watch these films multiple times, then you’re going to get your money’s worth out of a Disney+ subscription.

Another aspect to consider is that anyone who enjoys other Disney properties is going to get a ton out of this. It’s a family-friendly subscription service that could ultimately save you a ton on rentals and streaming prices — Especially for those looking to entertain multiple people with varying interests.

The four phases of the MCU

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is made up of four phases, with the "Infinity Saga" making up Phase 3. Black Widow is scheduled to be the first movie of Phase 4, but its release was delayed due to the global pandemic shutting down theaters.

MCU Phase 1

MCU Phase 2

Iron Man 3 (May 3, 2013)
Thor: The Dark World (Nov. 8, 2013)
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (April 4, 2014)
Guardians of the Galaxy (Aug. 1, 2014)
Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1, 2015)
Ant-Man (July 17, 2015)

MCU Phase 3

MCU Phase 4

Black Widow (July 9, 2021)
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (September 3, 2021)
Eternals (Nov. 5, 2021)
Spider-Man: No Way Home (Christmas 2021)
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (March 25, 2022)
Thor: Love and Thunder (May 6, 2022)
Black Panther 2 (July 8, 2022)
The Marvels (Nov. 11, 2022)