Karen Gillan, who we know best for playing Amy Pond opposite Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor, says filming for Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 was a bittersweet experience.

Gillan plays Nebula in the Marvel Cinematic Universe instalment, a part she’s played since Guardians Vol. 1, and reprised in numerous MCU projects including Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.

But Vol. 3 was in jeopardy for some time after director James Gunn got into hot water on social media and was briefly fired. Fortunately, he was soon taken back on, and Gillan reflects:

“I think everybody was so excited to be back together. The feeling was giddy excitement. The whole family was back together and we truly do feel like a family. And it just wouldn’t have felt right without James back with us. It just wouldn’t have been the same movie.

“So we were all extremely grateful that everything got straightened out, as it should have. And now, we’re almost finished. So there’s a little bit of a bittersweet feeling in the air as we close out this chapter of the Guardians as we currently know it.”

Indeed, this is the last time the original Guardians team is together, although this is a spoiler-free piece, so we won’t say what happens to the likes of Star-Lord, Gamora, Groot, Mantis, Drax, and Kraglin (not to mention new Guardian but an old face, Cosmo).

What we will say, however, is that this is largely Rocket’s story, and it is heart-breaking and gorgeous. A really life-affirming tear-jerker with plenty of jokes, stunning CGI, and character-driven beats. Nebula plays an important role throughout, so it’s fantastic to see Karen being such a key part of one of the biggest movie franchises.

If you haven’t seen Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 yet, we highly recommend heading out to your local cinema today!