Chris Pratt updates fans on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

But when a series of offensive old tweets came to light, Disney abruptly removed Gunn from the production and the film has been in limbo ever since.

• New Lego Movie 2 trailer pokes fun at Chris Pratt's biggest film roles
• Dave Bautista on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3: 'I don't know if I want to work for Disney'

The Guardians cast – which includes Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista and Karen Gillan – signed an open letter calling on Disney to reinstate their director, but the studio stood firm and Gunn has since crossed over to the DC Universe, lined up to direct a new take on Suicide Squad.

• READ MORE: Chris Pratt, Karen Gillan and the entire Guardians of the Galaxy cast pen open letter in support of fired director James Gunn

Meanwhile, there's been limited public movement on Vol. 3 with production put on hold last August and fans wondering if it will ever come to fruition.

So, Chris Pratt's reassurance that a third film will be made comes as something of a relief.

“I promise there’ll be a third movie," he told Variety at the Lego Movie 2 premiere.

"I don’t know exactly what that’s going to look like, but I know everyone on board is just eager to give the fans what they want and wrap up a trilogy in a meaningful way.”

It's good news for fans. But there was a time when the Guardians were one of Marvel's most successful superhero groupings with critical acclaim, huge box office returns and a third film set for 2020.

It remains to be seen who will write and direct the final film – and whether it can match the dizzy heights the franchise's fans have come to expect.