By Sheharyar 
In an update regarding the home release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, there’s disappointing news for Disney+ subscribers who were eagerly awaiting its drop on the streaming platform. As Phase 4 commenced, Black Widow was simultaneously released in theaters and on Disney+, but recently, the MCU has decided to extend the gap before its movies reach streaming services. For instance, Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania set a new record with a wait of nearly three months.
Marvel Studios officially announced the release dates for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. It will be available for digital purchase on Friday, July 7, followed by its release on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on Tuesday, August 1.
However, unlike other MCU movies since Disney+ launched, Guardians 3 was uniquely marketed as “only on digital” on July 7, similar to the release strategy used for Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania.
During Phase 4, every movie hit Disney+ on the same day as its digital purchase, with physical copies becoming available several weeks later. Nevertheless, both Quantumania and Guardians 3 are exceptions, with the latter expected to come to Disney+ sometime after its physical release on August 1.
This change in release strategy on Disney+ is likely an effort to boost home entertainment sales and revenue. The shift became more apparent after Bob Iger succeeded Bob Chapek as Disney CEO in November 2022.
So, when can we expect Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 to be available on Disney+? Well, this is the second MCU movie, after Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, to be marketed as “only on digital” upon its initial release.
For Quantumania, the digital purchase was available on April 18, followed by the physical debut on May 16, just 28 days later. Disney+ viewers got access to the movie on May 17, one day after its physical release. Now, following a similar pattern, it appears that Guardians 3 will have a physical release 25 days after the digital purchase. Therefore, fans can hope to see the movie on Disney+ on Wednesday, August 2.
A release on August 2 would be quite fitting for Marvel Studios, as it falls exactly one week after the final episode of Secret Invasion, continuing the steady flow of MCU content on the platform.
If this comes to pass, Guardians 3 would tie with Ant-Man 3’s record for the longest wait from theatrical release to Disney+ availability, totaling 89 days.
In summary, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be available for digital purchase on July 7, with its physical release following on August 1. Disney+ subscribers can possibly watch it on August 2, marking another exciting addition to the ever-expanding Marvel universe on the platform.