James Gunn thanks Guardians of the Galaxy fans

James Gunn posted a rather heartfelt message on his Facebook page aimed toward those who saw and are planning to see Guardians of the Galaxy:

"Thanks to all of you who saw (and are seeing) Guardians of the Galaxy this weekend, from the bottom of my heart. The Guardians are a group of oddballs, outcasts, and geeks. The movie is for anyone who ever felt cast aside, left out, or different. It's for all of us who don't belong. This movie belongs to you. And, today, I think we're doing okay.

I am of course happy with all the film has accomplished box-office-wise. But what touches me the most is that the film I told the folks at Marvel I wanted to make two years ago is the film that you're seeing in theaters today - it's that so many of you seem to be directly EXPERIENCING the film I INTENDED. The cast, the producers, the crew, and I felt like we were making something special while we were making it. But it is very rare that a director's INTENTIONS in creating a film, or a scene, or a character, or a line of dialogue are, seemingly, specifically what is experienced by an audience (not to mention critics!), and that seems to be what has happened here. You have allowed a talking raccoon - for a moment, a minute, or a day - to make you a little more human. And for that, I am profoundly grateful.

If I relied on myself to implement these intentions, the film would be a shambling mess. But instead, I had a wonderful cast, genius producers, an incredibly brave studio, sublimely talented visual effects artists, great editors, and the best damn crew of mostly-British bastards to actually implement these intentions for me. Where I had a good idea they would, through alchemy, transform it into a great one. Many of you involved are friends of mine on Facebook. Many of you will read this somewhere else. I love you all.

You may remember me posting here a couple weeks ago how sad I was to be finishing up the film, that I was having trouble letting go of Rocket, and that I was going to miss him. But seeing him (and Groot, and the rest of the team) embraced by the world like they have been, to be UNDERSTOOD, makes it a wonderful letting go. It's like giving a foster pet up for adoption to the most wonderful parents in the world.

And, of course, I'm not really saying goodbye as, while many of you have been enjoying the film, I've spent this weekend hard at work on the sequel. I couldn't help myself! The results are nice but it's really the creative process I love and that keeps me going. I'm on fire with this thing! The Guardians have so many hardships and heartaches and triumphs ahead of them, and I can't wait to share them with all of you.

Onto week two...

Love, James"

To speak directly to this man... James, you are just amazing. I have been a fan for years and was so excited when I first saw you had been hired to direct Guardians of the Galaxy. Now that I have seen it I want to tell you that it was amazing and a lot better than I expected. It was funny and it brought us back to the realization that we are not grounded in reality and that movies should be fun. I hope you come back for the sequel because Marvel and Hollywood in general needs your talent. Thanks again, man. 

Guardians of the Galaxy - Review

After another Infinity Stone falls into dangerous hands, a group of criminals and misfits team up to defend the galaxy from destruction and oppression in Guardians of the Galaxy.




I just have to start by saying this... Guardians of the Galaxy was amazing. I said it. I knew I would say it, but there it is. I seriously loved it and had practically no issues with anything. It was entertaining as hell, funny, and had a lot of fun little tidbits added in. Not to mention we got our first real look at the big Marvel villain, Thanos.

Starting with the plot, I thought it was interesting enough for an origin of these characters. We got enough information to get us started and they did a great job establishing Peter Quill (aka, Star-Lord) as the main character. I really enjoyed the supporting characters and I thought everyone was used fairly well.
The villains were also handled beautifully. Ronan was extremely menacing visually and he looked more like something out of Hellraiser, but I think we can credit James Gunn for that. Nebula was also well done and I loved how she was portrayed. Getting to the big reveal of Thanos, it was enough to keep you both satisfied and wanting more. The visuals looked amazing and I think Josh Brolin was a fantastic choice. It also put a lot more into motion and hinted at things we will most likely see in Phase Three as well as the announced Guardians of the Galaxy sequel.
The only character I felt was extremely underused was The Collector. They made such a huge deal with him being in this movie but he was more enjoyable in the after credits scene for Thor: The Dark World than in Guardians of the Galaxy. It was treated more like a cameo than an actual role.Gamora was also a bit underused and seemed more like the typical tough chick in the universe, but she at least had more explanation and plot.

Either way, I don't think Marvel has anything to worry about regarding this story. Any concerns of people being onboard with a talking raccoon and a giant tree have definitely been squashed. I thought Rocket was probably the most enjoyable character aside from Star-Lord. He was funny and quick on his feet and the way Bradley Cooper voiced him was perfect. I can't even describe how much I loved it.
One thing this movie achieved at great length is taking us out of how "normal" the Marvel Cinematic Universe has become. Up until this point everything seemed very explainable to humans using science, logic, and a little open mindedness. With this story you have to accept that there are creatures and things outside of what we've already been shown that are just as dangerous and relevant. The only glimpse we really have had into the expanded universe, up until now, was with the Thor movies and even then he was exiled onto Earth and the magic of Asgard was pretty easily explained and present on Earth. With these characters and this story it's going to start introducing a lot more comic magic and fantasy that the MCU has lacked. If you thought Guardians of the Galaxy was a stretch you need to remember than these are comic book movies and they are not grounded in reality. 

One thing I am seriously hoping for is that Marvel brings back James Gunn for the sequel. The element he brought to these characters is definitely not something that could be replicated. They made a fantastic choice hiring him.



To talk about a couple spoilers...




The post-credits scene was a waste, in my opinion. Something about letting Howard the Duck have a cameo seemed wasted. I expected something relating to Age of Ultron or even Doctor Strange, but I was not expecting what we got at all. It wasn't relevant.
But, on the subject of what else The Collector had in his possession, we saw quite a few characters that we have already seen in Marvel films. Along with Howard the Duck and Cosmo the Spacedog we caught a glimpse at an imprisoned Dark Elf from Thor: The Dark World as well as a Chitauri warrior from The Avengers. We also saw visions of the Aether and the Tesseract while the Infinity Gauntlet was explained. 


What did you think of Guardians of the Galaxy?

Nathan Fillion to have Guardians of the Galaxy cameo

Despite director James Gunn already shooting down the character of Nova Prime, Nathan Fillion has been confirmed to have a "fun" cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy.

Fillion is a longtime collaborator with Gunn as they've worked together on Slither, PG-Porn, and Super. Gunn also went on to specify that the cameo is being done as a favor to him. SO with that said, there is no information on exactly who or what Fillion will be appearing as, but it is sure to be enjoyable. You might recognize him from television shows such as Castle, Firefly, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He's also done voice work for Robot Chicken, Halo 3, Halo: Reach, and King of the Hill. We will find out when Guardians of the Galaxy hits theaters on August 1st.

Guardians of the Galaxy - International Trailer

Welcome to the final trailer I am watching for Guardians of the Galaxy.

New trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy

I am just so happy.

First poster for Guardians of the Galaxy

And it has a pretty hilarious and awesome lagline.

You're welcome.

Guardians of the Galaxy - Trailer Premieres

I just have to say that this trailer put the biggest smile on my face. It is so James Gunn, I love it. Marvel, thank you for giving this man a chance. I think this looks great and I cannot wait to see it. It's a bummer we don't have voices for Rocket Raccoon and Groot yet, but I can wait.  

Guardians of the Galaxy opens on August 1st.

Guardians of the Galaxy - 15 Second Teaser

I'm not a fan of the teasers for teasers, but I decided to watch this one to try and get a feel for Guardians of the Galaxy. Judging from this it looks like a typical Marvel movie. Lots of action, maybe some humor (knowing Chris Pratt), and spot on costumes. I'm eager to hear Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel voice Groot and Rocket Raccoon. Just putting that out there. 

The full trailer premieres tonight on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

First official still from Guardians of the Galaxy

We previously got a teased concept art, which can also be seen below, but we now have the first official still from Guardians of the Galaxy. It features Zoe Saldana, Chris Pratt, Rocket Raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper), Dave Bautista, and Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel).

Here is the concept art:

In addition to the image, we also received the official synopsis of the film.

"From Marvel, the studio that brought you the global blockbuster franchises of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Avengers, comes a new team–the Guardians of the Galaxy. An action-packed, epic space adventure, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmos, where brash adventurer Peter Quill finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe. To evade the ever-persistent Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits–Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon, Groot, a tree-like humanoid, the deadly and enigmatic Gamora and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer. But when Peter discovers the true power of the orb and the menace it poses to the cosmos, he must do his best to rally his ragtag rivals for a last, desperate stand -  with the galaxy’s fate in the balance. Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is presented by Marvel Studios."

Guardians of the Galaxy is set for release on August 1, 2014. No word on exactly when we are getting the first trailer, but I would imagine it is coming soon. With Captain America: The Winter Soldier hitting in April, I am betting we will get something for Guardians of the Galaxy at that point.

From Marvel, the studio that brought you the global blockbuster franchises of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Avengers, comes a new team – the Guardians of the Galaxy.  An action-packed epic space adventure, Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmos, where brash adventurer Peter Quill finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the universe.  To evade the ever-persistent Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits – Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon, Groot, a tree-like humanoid, the deadly and enigmatic Gamora and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer.  But when Peter discovers the true power of the orb and the menace it poses to the cosmos, he must do his best to rally his ragtag rivals for a last, desperate stand – with the galaxy’s fate in the balance.  Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” is presented by Marvel Studios. The film releases August 1, 2014, and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
Read more at http://collider.com/guardians-of-the-galaxy-synopsis-image-chris-pratt/#ES0wSaItIf4

Vin Diesel officially joins Guardians of the Galaxy

It has been rumored for months now, but we finally have confirmation that Vin Diesel will be playing Groot in Guardians of the Galaxy. He joins Chris Pratt, Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana, Michael Rooker, and Lee Pace. Guardians of the Galaxy is being directed by James Gunn and is set for release on August 1, 2014.

If you aren't aware, Groot is a highly intelligent tree-like alien. Groot will be voiced by Diesel as he is assumed to be full CGI along with Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper). Originally, Groot was interested in capturing humans for experimentation, but after being destroyed by both termites and the Hulk he was captured by S.H.I.E.L.D. and made part of the Guardians team. Groot was also a warrior in the battle against Thanos, so he is an important aspect of this movie.

Guardians of the Galaxy villains revealed

So the internet says.

According to the rumors flying around the roles for Benicio del Toro, Lee Pace, and Karen Gillan in Guardians of the Galaxy. Apparently del Toro will be playing The Collector, Pace will play Ronan the Accuser, and Gillan is responsible for Nebula.

Here are some basics for each character:

The Collector is one of the elders of the universe. Otherwise known as Taneleer Tivan, he is extremely powerful with the true form of a powerful alien. After his wife relinquished her immortality he began collecting various items, most very valuable and rare, to maintain his sanity. Eventually, he obtained the power of prophecy and became a threat to Thanos. He created a museum of artifacts to protect them from Thanos including holding one of six gems from The Infinity Gauntlet. The Collector later came to Earth and enslaved Thor, captured Wasp and members of The Avengers, and eventually compelled Iron Man to serve him as a pawn. He possesses the power to manipulate cosmic energy and has a vast knowledge of the galaxy and alien worlds and species.

Ronan the Accuser made his first appearance alongside Fantastic Four. He originated on the Kree Empire and quickly rose to a high ranking military member in the Accuser Corps. Ronan was then sent to Earth to investigate the defeat of a robotic Sentry by Fantastic Four and is defeated by the team as well. He then tries to overthrow the powers than be in the Kree Empire and is mentally defeated and goes on to destroy a duplicate of the Silver Surfer. He possesses superhuman strength, endurance, speed, and reflexes. All powers are enhanced by an exoskeleton armor. 

Nebula is an alien supervillain and probably the baddest of the three announced for Guardians of the Galaxy. She is often described as a brutal mercenary Nebula seized control of the spaceship Sanctuary II which was under the command of Thanos. She believed Thanos to be dead and also claimed he was her kin, so she created a team of pirates which consisted of Skunge, Kehl, Gunthar, and Levan. She approached Captain Marvel to join her mercenary gang and later attacked The Avengers. She ran into trouble after Thanos was resurrected and he reclaimed the Sanctuary II and nearly killed Nebula. Using the Infinity Gems he transformed her into a mindless zombie and physically turned her grotesque. Thanos then claimed the Infinity Gauntlet and boasted Nebula claiming she was his greatest creation. Nebula later was able to claim the Gauntlet from Thanos and used its power to restore herself and banish Thanos and attempt to conquer the universe for herself. Thanos struck a deal with a group of heroes to defeat Nebula. The group consisted of Doctor Strange, Adam Warlock, The Silver Surfer, Thor, Hulk, Firelord, Doctor Doom, and Drax the Destroyer. Nebula was captured by Starfox and returned to Titan for trial where she was later imprisoned. Her powers include gifts in intellect and strategy and is a very skilled combatant in both armed and unarmed situations.


Now with all that said, it's pretty safe to assume these villains won't stop at Guardians of the Galaxy. At least not all of them. I would love to bet that Nebula will extend past The Avengers 2 and will go well into Phase Three. I wouldn't put much stock into The Collector and Ronan the Accuser as of right now because when you look at who these characters are, Nebula is by far the baddest and most dangerous. She is also the most intertwined with Thanos who has already been announced. This Cinematic Universe is getting pretty big.
I also think, despite them being made by different studios, this would be the opportunity to reference the new Fantastic Four. Seeing that Ronan the Accuser mainly dealt with them and Thanos uses both Doctor Doom and The Silver Surfer to defeat Nebula it's kind of a no brainer. 

Guardians of the Galaxy is set to premiere on August 1, 2014 and is being directed by James Gunn. Cast members already secured are Chris Pratt (Star-Lord), Dave Bautista (Drax the Destroyer), Zoe Saldana (Gamora), John C. Reilly (Rhomann Dey), and Michael Rooker (Yondu).

Benicio del Toro joins Guardians of the Galaxy

After being in unsuccessful talks for Star Trek, Benicio del Toro has joined the cast of Guardians of the Galaxy in an unannounced role. Like most other cast members, his deal will involve multiple films so the role must be pretty substantial.

Rumor has it, and this is just a rumor, that del Toro might have been cast as Thanos. However, that means he will have to at least be in The Avengers 2.

Chris Pratt lands Guardians of the Galaxy lead role

Many names have been floating around regarding the role of Peter Quill (aka, Star-Lord) in the upcoming Marvel film Guardians of the Galaxy over the past couple months. That list included Zachary Levi, Jim Sturgess, Joel Edgerton, John Krasinski, Lee Pace, Michael Rosenbaum etc.. One name that I don't think anyone gave much attention to was Chris Pratt and oddly enough he is the actor who has landed the role of Star-Lord.
Chris Pratt's resume includes work on Parks and Recreation, Moneyball, Zero Dark Thirty, The O.C., and the old WB show Everwood. A lot of people are starting to think that Pratt's involvement proves that director James Gunn is going for a more comedic approach to Guardians of the Galaxy. Not to mention the rumors last week that Jim Carrey and Adam Sandler were being considered for roles in the film.

Now that Star-Lord has been cast they have to focus on casting other characters which include Drax the Destroyer, a giant tree named Groot, Rocket Raccoon, and Gamora. There is also rumored involvement of Thanos who is assumed to be the main bad guy for The Avengers 2.
I previously posted about Star-Lord so if you missed that go ahead and click here.


Mark your calendars! Guardians of the Galaxy hits theaters on August 1, 2014.

[UPDATED] Joseph Gordon-Levitt added to Star-Lord shortlist

The list of potentials for the role of Peter Quill, also known as Star-Lord, in Guardians of the Galaxy has grown by at least one more person. Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Looper, The Dark Knight Rises) has been added to the mix. It is unclear if he has actually been offered the role or if he has been invited for a test, but it would be interesting to have him in the Marvel universe.

The shortlist aside from Gordon-Levitt, so far, consists of:

Joel Edgerton (Warrior, Zero Dark Thirty)
Jim Sturgess (Across the Universe, Cloud Atlas)
Jack Huston (Boardwalk Empire)
Lee Pace (The Hobbit, Lincoln)
Eddie Redmayne (Les Miserables, My Week with Marilyn)
Zachary Levi (Chuck)
Garrett Hedlund (Tron: Legacy, On the Road)
James Marsden (X-Men, Bachelorette)


The low down on Peter Quill if you don't know... basically Peter Quill (aka, Star-Lord) is the child of an alien father and a human mother who acts as an interplanetary police man. He eventually became the leader of the space-based superhero team Guardians of the Galaxy and aids The Avengers in the fight against Thanos.


EDIT (01/03): Michael Rosenbaum, best known for his role as Lex Luthor in Smallville, has also been added to the Peter Quill shortlist. Rosenbaum previously worked with Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn on PG Porn, so it is possible he is a director favorite which could ultimately land him the role.

EDIT (02/05): Chris Pratt (Moneyball, Zero Dark Thirty) has beat out the whole long list and landed the role of Star-Lord.