Filming on Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 has concluded, director James Gunn has confirmed.

The anticipated Marvel film is due to finally hit cinemas next year, and comes six years after the release of the second movie.

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Taking to his Twitter page over the weekend (May 7), Gunn shared a picture with some of the film’s cast members, including Chris Pratt (Star-Lord), Karen Gillan (Nebula), Dave Bautista (Drax) and Pom Klementieff (Mantis).

He wrote in the caption: “And that’s a picture wrap on the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. I love this amazing cast & crew & their beautiful talent & kind souls. I’m a lucky human to have them on the journey with me for nearly a decade.”

And that’s a picture wrap on the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. I love this amazing cast & crew & their beautiful talent & kind souls. I’m a lucky human to have them on the journey with me for nearly a decade. pic.twitter.com/oVQCIfJjuZ

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) May 7, 2022

Gunn also shared a picture of Zoe Saldana (Gamora) with Peacemaker‘s Jennifer Holland, while also confirming that “an unannounced actor” will also be joining the cast.

The director later shared a picture of the slate for the film’s final scene, teasing the scene in question while also reflecting on the trilogy: “After over 100 days of shooting & over 3000 shots, this is the slate for the final shot of #GotGVol3, presented to me by the camera crew. It was an easy shot of Rocket seated, 1st with @seangunn, & then nothing there, & took everything in me not to break down sobbing on the spot.

“The majority of the last ten years of my life have been spent working on & thinking about the Guardians. I still have a long road ahead of me with VFX & editing, but it was still momentous to me,” he added.

After over 100 days of shooting & over 3000 shots, this is the slate for the final shot of #GotGVol3, presented to me by the camera crew. It was an easy shot of Rocket seated, 1st with @seangunn, & then nothing there, & took everything in me not to break down sobbing on the spot. pic.twitter.com/pOrTjfab2h

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) May 7, 2022

“It is somewhat simple to explain to others how much I love this cast & crew. It is more difficult to explain how much I love these characters – that I see them as parts of myself & parts of those I love, & filming them, & writing their words, is a way of expressing that love.

“Again, I’ll still be working with them over the next year until release, but shooting that last shot was a reminder of the warm impermanence of life & love, & how that impermanence makes it so precious, so valuable, & is a good reason to be grateful for what I have right now.”

It comes after Gunn revealed last month that the upcoming film had “officially passed the World Record for ‘the most makeup appliances created for a single production’”.

Vol. 3 is set to mark the last time that the roster of heroes will appear on-screen together, Gunn previously telling Deadline’s Hero Nation podcast: “This is the end for us, the last time people will see this team of Guardians. It’s big; it’s so, so big and dark, and different from what people might be expecting it to be.”

The director has also admitted that Vol. 3 would “probably” be his last as director, with the film also set to see a character death.