If there’s one film I hope crushes at the box office as well as joins the great comic book movies of all time it’s “The Guardians of the Galaxy”. Directed by James Gunn (Slither) starring Chris Pratt (Star Lord), Zoe Saldana (Gamorra), Dave Bautista (Drax), Vin Diesel (Groot), and Bradley Cooper (Rocket Raccoon), this is Marvel’s first venture into space. Yeah there is Asgard, but I don’t really qualify that as it is more of a realm. What is most important is that we look to be getting a fast-moving, fun ride with new characters and setting up a whole new wing of the Marvel Universe. The trick is being able to pull off a great intro of characters like “Iron Man” and “Captain America” did along with creating an enjoyable group dynamic like in “Avengers”. Now you may be saying those are decades old characters, everyone knows them, but keep in mind, most people had no idea who Tony Stark was ten years ago.
With this latest trailer we get a more clear vision of what director Gunn has planned for the Guardians. It’s filled with humor, action, spaceships and laser guns! Everything a growing franchise needs. All they need is for the villain and story to work and the Marvel Universe will be the ones conquering the galaxy
Recently Joe Quesada the Chief Creative Officer at Marvel Entertainment stated that this is one of several projects that will branch out in the ever expanding Marvel Universe. Phase One introduced the Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and Avengers films as a set up for the world protectors. Phase Two will introduce the “Guardians” as the space protectors, and with the upcoming made-for-Netfilx shows with Daredevil, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, on their own and then bringing all four together in a “Defenders” series which in turn will bring together the street-level protectors. All with plans to give fans and everybody else heroes to root for at the theaters and at home all in one big connected universe (Sorry Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. I know you tried, but it shouldn’t have taken you 20 episodes to get interesting).
When I was heavy into reading comic books, I always hated cross-over events, they always seemed to take away from the story of my favorite characters I was following every month and always managed to take the hero into awkward territory. What I did enjoy was Team-Ups, like when Iron Man would pop-up in a Spider-Man story, or when Thor and the Hulk would throw down for some reason or another. It was something to remind me that this is a shared universe, that it was not bound by its own pages but could venture far beyond into the unknown. I am super excited to see this happening in my lifetime, live-action versions of my favorite heroes sharing the same space, and even the same screen telling great and entertaining stories filled with adventure, and excitement. A Jedi may crave not these things, but a fanboy certainly does.
–Robert L. Castillo