James Gunn has confirmed 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3' will "kick-start" the new Phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

James Gunn

James Gunn

Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige recently confirmed that the fourth 'Avengers' movie, which is slated for a 2019 release, will change the MCU and will signal the end of Phase 3.

Now 'Guardians of the Galaxy' filmmaker Gunn has confirmed the next instalment of his franchise will start the new MCU.

Writing on Twitter to a fan, Gunn wrote: "Read Kevin Feige's quotes & not the static around them. It's the end of one long story & the beginning of another. And one of the films that will kickstart the new story will be #GotGVol3. (sic)"

The next two Avengers movies have been announced as the end of Phase 3 in the MCU and Joe Russo - who is helming the two films with his brother Anthony - accepts that fans believe they know what will happen in the plot from watching the other Marvel movies but he insists there's going to be some shocks for cinema goers.

'Avengers: Infinity War' will see the hero squad - Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), Vision (Paul Bettany), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) - join forces with the Guardians of the Galaxy.

The two teams will have to work together to fight intergalactic warlord Thanos, with some help from newcomers Spider-Man (Tom Holland), Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and the screen debut of Captain Marvel (Brie Larson).

In July, Feige also revealed the second standalone Spider-Man film will take the MCU in another direction.

Feige said: "The original 22-movie arc ends with the untitled 'Avengers' in May of 2019, and then two months later it will be Peter Parker and Spider-Man that usher us into the aftermath and how things proceed from there."