The 8 Most Important Things to Know About Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 might already be one of our favorite movies of 2017. The sequel opened this week, and if you loved the first movie, you should be in line for tickets to the new one. Before you get too amped up (we're already at a 10 on the excitement scale), take a look at everything you need to know about the film!

1. The Cast

Original stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel (Groot), Dave Bautista, and Bradley Cooper (Rocket) are all coming back for seconds. Karen Gillan and Michael Rooker are also returning, and notable newbies include Kurt Russell (who is playing classic Marvel villain Ego the Living Planet, who happens to be Peter Quill's dad). Check out the full cast!

2. The Plot

Marvel released the movie's official synopsis in June:

Set to the backdrop of "Awesome Mixtape #2," Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 continues the team's adventures as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos. The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mysteries of Peter Quill's true parentage. Old foes become new allies and fan-favorite characters from the classic comics will come to our heroes' aid as the Marvel cinematic universe continues to expand.

3. The Director

James Gunn, who helmed the first film, is back in the director's chair! Once again, he's adapted the comic series originally written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning. This time, he's done it without the help of Nicole Perlman, who cowrote the 2014 movie.

4. The Trailer

click to play video

5. The Poster

Marvel

6. Baby Groot Is Back!

Marvel

Just ICYMI, he's so adorable.

7. The Soundtrack

The retro music was one of the greatest elements of the first movie, and the sequel's soundtrack is an even stronger collection of songs. It includes "Come a Little Bit Closer" by Jay and the Americans, "The Chain" by Fleetwood Mac, and plenty more '70s favorites.

8. The Release Date

The movie was released on May 5!