After the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special proved to be a massive hit with viewers, Marvel has given fans a first glimpse at Guardians Vol. 3.

And, in a treat for us all, the trailer marks the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) debut of Will Poulter, who will be taking on the role of Adam Warlock (known simply as Warlock) in the film series.

The Guardians plotline in the wider cinematic universe follows Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) and company on their journeys across the galaxy.

Vol. 3 is set to be James Gunn’s last as a director in the MCU, and looks like it might be the last Guardians film for a very long while.

Poulter, 29, only appears briefly in the trailer as the golden-haired superhero, however, for fans of the MCU, it will feel like the end of a long wait, with Warlock’s appearance having been teased since Guardians Vol. 2.

For a refresher, in a post-credits scene at the end of the 2017 film, Golden High Priestess Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki) promised his arrival to the series’ devotees.

Will Poulter is set to make his debut as Warlock in Guardians Vol. 3 (Picture: Christophe Bayle)

Warlock gets straight into classic MCU action (Picture: Christophe Bayle)

In the trailer, it takes a while for Warlock to show up, but when he arrives his features are unmistakable and his presence not easily forgotten.

With golden skin, a bright red outfit, and the presence of a gem in his forehead, fans will surely be reminded of Vision (Paul Bettany).

He can be seen attacking Nebula (Karen Gillan) during an intense fight scene – fans might have to brace themselves whenever Warlock is around.

Poulter’s character is an artificial being and the creation of Priestess Ayesha, intended to help her bring down the Guardians of the Galaxy.

It’s the end of the road for the Guardians of the Galaxy (Picture: Marvel Studios)

Elsewhere in the trailer, the Guardians run into typically hilarious hijinks after upsetting a village of anthropomorphised creatures.

But it looks like Vol. 3 is going to be an emotional battering ram, as Rocket (Bradley Cooper) says, with tears in his eyes: ‘We’ll all fly away together.’

It also looks like we’re set to get Rocket’s origin story, with a young, adorable Rocket featuring prominently in one shot.

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Commenting on his role in the movie, Poulter had previously said he was ‘very, very lucky’ to be ‘welcomed into the Marvel family’.

Warlock was first introduced to Marvel Comics in 1967, created by Stan Lee for an early edition of the Fantastic Four series.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is scheduled for release May 5 2023.

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Vol. 3 releases in May 2023.