Review embargos are typically set by movie studios and dictate when critics can publish their reviews of a film. For major releases like MCU films, the embargo is typically lifted a few days before the official release date. The exact timing can vary from film to film, however.
As the release date for “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” approaches, many fans are eagerly anticipating the film and wondering when the review embargo will be lifted, allowing critics to share their thoughts on the latest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
When Did Review Embargos Lift for Other MCU Films?
For example, “Avengers: Endgame,” the highest-grossing film in the MCU, had its review embargo lifted on April 23, 2019, just two days before its April 25 release. Similarly, “Black Panther” had its embargo lifted on February 6, 2018, 10 days before its February 16 release date.
On the other hand, “Spider-Man: No Way Home” had its embargo lifted two weeks before its December 17, 2021, release date, allowing critics to share their thoughts on the film early and generating even more hype for its release.
| Year | Movie | Social Media | Review | Release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Avengers: Endgame | / | Apr 23 | Apr 25 |
| 2021 | Shang-Chi: The Legend of Ten Rings | Aug 17 | Aug 23 | Sept 3 |
| 2021 | The Eternals | Oct 19 | Oct 24 | Nov 5 |
| 2021 | Spider-Man: No Way Home | Dec 13 | Dec 13 | Dec 17 |
| 2022 | Doctor Strange 2 | May 03 | May 03 | May 06 |
| 2022 | Thor: Love and Thunder | Jun 23 | Jul 05 | Jul 08 |
| 2022 | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever | Oct 26 | Nov 8 | Nov 11 |
The embargo for “Black Widow” was lifted four days before its release, while “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” had its embargo lifted ten days before its release.
When Will GOTG 3 Review Embargo Lift?
As of now, Marvel Studios has not announced when the review embargo for “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” will be lifted. A good indication of when embargos lift is when the private invite-only Hollywood premiere of Guardians of the Galaxy 3 will: that’s already happened on April 6, 2023.
Based on that premiere and release patterns of more recent MCU films, it’s likely that GOTG 3’s embargo will be lifted a few days before its official release date.
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” is currently set to be released on May 5, 2023. So fans can expect the review embargo to be lifted around May 2 or 3, 2023, depending on Marvel’s specific plans for the release.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 social media reactions were released online after embargo lifted on Saturday, April 22nd but social media reactions didn’t show up until Friday, April 28th at 1 a.m EST.
As far as official critic reviews, we don’t have a date on those, but we’re thinking that those will drop Monday May 1st… that’s just a few days before GOTG 3 opens in U.S. theaters Friday, May 5th.
It’s worth noting that review embargos are put in place to give critics time to watch the film and formulate their opinions without outside influence, and to help build excitement and anticipation for the movie’s release. While fans will have to wait a little longer to read the reviews of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” the embargo lifting will likely only add to the excitement surrounding the film’s release.
