James Gunn says Nova won't Appear in 'Guardians of the Galaxy 2'

Now that Guardians of the Galaxy has proven to Marvel that cosmic stories are not only profitable but pretty awesome, we're seeing an expansion in those kinds of films. We already know that Inhumans will be coming in 2018, but long before that we're going to see a Guardians of the Galaxy sequel. One of the characters fans have been dying to see, and hoped would appear in the first film, was Rich Ryder aka Nova, most prominent member of the Nova Corps. James Gunn took questions from fans over on his Facebook page, and when asked if Nova could appear in the sequel this was his response...

Gunn: "I don’t want Nova right now because I think Quill being the only earthling is important. That serves the entire movie going audience and not just the handful of Nova fans… I have nothing against Nova in future movies, but it doesn’t serve the movie right this moment."

There's still the chance Nova pops up elsewhere but it wouldn't make quite as much sense. Gunn was mainly focused on the idea that studios are basically putting the cart before the horse, building massive shared universes without a strong film to ground them, citing Marvel as an example of one that got the process right. He also makes it clear that despite Kevin Feige's claims everything is mapped out through 2028, the Marvel plan is hardly set in stone...

Gunn: "The ONLY thing in GotG that was connected to the rest of the Marvel Universe is the existence of Thanos and the existence of an infinity stone. Everything else – how Thanos was connected, who he was connected to, what were the properties of the infinity stone, etc, etc, were all basically made up by me. It’s much much looser than people think it is. And it certainly wasn’t planned out when they did Iron Man. They just thought about making a good Iron Man movie – which is exactly my point."

The Nova-less Guardians of the Galaxy 2 will open May 5th 2017. 

Read More

James Gunn Talks Star-Lord's Father and Thanos in 'Guardians of the Galaxy 2'

With $300M already in the bank, Marvel and James Gunn are already looking forward to a Guardians of the Galaxy sequel, and they've got plenty of material to work with. There are more Infinity Gems out there, a possible Adam Warlock tease that got floated for eagle-eyed viewers, and most importantly the mystery of Star-Lord's father. There has been a ton of speculation already on his identity, but one thing everyone can agree on is that it won't be the same guy from the comics, and apparently Gunn agrees. He tells Empire...

Gunn: "There have been a lot of documents passed around about who Peter Quill’s father is between a select two or three of us. That’s been part of the plan since the beginning, that’s something I had to work out before we shot the screenplay. We wanted to make sure Yondu’s place in everything made sense and it does, so it’s all very specific stuff....It’s definitely not the character who it is in the comics, I’ll say that much."

In the comics, Star-Lord's daddy is J'Son, ruler of the alien Spartoi from the planet Spartax. But J'Son is not a major Marvel character, certainly not worthy of teasing. It's interesting that in a question about Star-Lord's father Gunn began talking about how Yondu (Michael Rooker) fit into the story. John C. Reilly's character also seems to have a fatherly relationship with Star-Lord and clearly knows more than he's letting on.

Gunn also talked about the presence of Thanos in the sequel and it sounds as if the Mad Titan will only be a factor if necessary....

Gunn: "He will show up [in the sequel] if he helps our story and he will not show up at all if not. Thanos is not the most important thing in Guardians 2, that’s for damn sure. There’s the Guardians themselves and other threats the Guardians are going to be facing that are not Thanos."

Even if Thanos doesn't appear there are others close to him who could cause trouble for the Guardians...

Gunn:  "I think Thanos has been lonely for a long time. He can handle it. He’s used to his loneliness. He’s got some other kids out there. He’s got to look after them. Nebula’s probably the sweetest of them, which tells you what his kids are like..."

Guardians of the Galaxy 2 is to hit theaters July 28th 2017.

Read More

Adam Warlock Rumored for 'Guardians of the Galaxy 2'; Plus a Possible 'Captain America 3' Villain

Remember Roger Wardell? Probably not, but his Twitter account went on a pretty good run of major Marvel scoops last year, many of which panned out. He seems to only pop up randomly, filling his role as a mysterious all-knowing purveyor of Marvel news on the big and small screen. Speculation as to who Wardell actually was ran rampant, with some calling him a well-known Marvel insider, or a journalist skulking in the shadows, or just some guy pulling stuff out of his butt. He's been too accurate (no more or less than say, Latino Review) for that latter one, but the fact is he hadn't been heard from since last September, and now he's back with a couple of rumors regarding Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and Captain America 3.

This could be a small spoiler for Guardians of the Galaxy so if you haven't seen it yet (but let's be honest, you have seen it!) steer clear. If you look around the Collector's museum one of the things you'll spot is what appears to be a giant coccoon. Many have assumed this to be Adam Warlock in his regenerative state and they're probably right.  In the comics Warlock is an all-powerful being, former member of the Guardians of the Galaxy, and possessor of the Soul Gem, one of the Infinity gems Thanos is searching for. Wardell says not only will Warlock appear in 2017's 'Guardians' sequel, but that his personality, which is pretty Zen-like, will clash with that of Drax and Gamora.  A lot of fans have been eager to see Warlock appear and the timing of it seems to be right, especially as Marvel continues to build up to Avengers 3 and the big Thanos showdown.

And in another tweet, Wardell says that Captain America 3 will feature the arrival of Sin, the daughter of the Red Skull. This isn't the first time she's been mentioned as Iron Man 3 co-writer Drew Pearce once talked about doing a One-Shot film about her but that hasn't happened yet. If true then it's another piece added from the "Death of Captain America" storyline that involves Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), Crossbones (Frank Grillo), and others who are already part of Marvel's cinematic universe. Captain America 3 is slated to open May 6th 2016. Some of this may pan out, or maybe none of it will, but it'll be fun to kick around for awhile until we learn something concrete.

Read More

James Gunn Thanks Fans for 'Guardians of the Galaxy' Success; Teases Work on Sequel

Over the weekend Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy busted box office records with a $94M debut, a feat which seemed impossible just a few months ago. The unlikely team, led by a cast without any major stars, has really touched audiences in a way other Marvel movies haven't, and that's a credit to the work of writer/director James Gunn, who gave the film the off-beat spin we've seen from him with movies like Super and Slither. This is the biggest hit Gunn has ever had, and he wrote a heartfelt piece thanking the fans who made all of it possible. At the same time he also revealed that work on the sequel, confirmed just days ago, has already begun. Check it out below:

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

Read More

Comic-Con: 'Guardians of the Galaxy 2' in 2017; 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' Panel Reaction

So the curtain has gone down on Marvel's Comic-Con presentation and the general sense is that they took their foot off the pedal a little bit. That's not to say there weren't some amazing moments, like footage from Peyton Reed's Ant-Man and Joss Whedon's Avengers: Age of Ultron, but in terms of big reveals there simply weren't very many we didn't already know.

For instance, the show ended with a video of James Gunn and Chris Pratt confirming Guardians of the Galaxy 2 after the news broke hours ago. What we didn't know was the July 28th 2017 release date, occupying one of the eight open slots Marvel is holding on to. But there was nothing on the other dates, and not even a mention of Doctor Strange.

The Ant-Man portion of the show was all about establishing Peyton Reed as a capable director worthy of filling Edgar Wright's shoes, and Kevin Feige spent most of his time hyping the director. While filming doesn't begin until next month, there was still a little something shot that focused on a conversation between Michael Douglas' Hank Pym and Paul Rudd's Scott Lang, with neither man actually seen on screen. Instead we got an impressively-shot scene with Ant-Man hopping a wasp in the midst of a heist. The biggest surprise may have been the reveal of Evangeline Lily's role as Hope van Dyne, the daughter of Hank Pym and presumably Janet van Dyne aka the Wasp.

But what people really were waiting for was Avengers: Age of Ultron, and they got exactly what they wanted and more. After the cast danced their way on stage to Michael Jackson beats (their entrances are always a highlight, but take forever to finish) and answered a few questions, a video by the pregnant Scarlett Johansson teed up the first teaser. It was EXACTLY what had been leaked before, although it's obviously cooler to see it in action. The team gathered at Tony Stark's crib, all trying to lift Thor's hammer, Mjolnir. James "War Machine" Rhodes is there and helps Stark in trying to lift it. Others try and fail, with Thor obviously pleased that nobody is worthy, until Captain America steps up and nudges it just a little. It's soon after that Ultron walks in, questions the worthiness of them all, and sends his drone army after them. That's followed by a battle between the Hulk and the Hulkbuster armor, glimpses at Scarlet Witch casting a hex while Quicksilver races around, plus a shot of Andy Serkis. Yep, Serkis playing a regular human not some mo-capped creation. The footage ends with a menacing giant Ultron, followed by a jaw-dropping scene where Iron Man finds Cap's broken shield (that thing doesn't just break), only to find that the entire team is broken far worse and are possibly dead.

It's great stuff and is so much darker than the last film ever came close to approaching. As a way to get the crowd hyped it did the job, but the overall panel just seemed to be lacking a little extra something. To be completely fair, Warner Bros. didn't give us everything we were hoping for, either. It seems both studios decided to give the fans just enough and nothing more, and one has to wonder if this is a strategy they will employ going forward.

Read More

James Gunn will Write and Direct 'Guardians of the Galaxy 2'

As we know, Marvel apparently has their movies lined up all the way until 2028, or at least that's what they say, and with eight movies given release dates through 2019 it may be true. One film that may be one of those officially announced at Marvel's Comic-Con panel is a sequel to Guardians of the Galaxy, although when we spoke to co-writer Nicole Perlman she suggested it depends on how the risky space-comedy performs. But now according to Variety, and suggested by Perlman in an interview with The Wrap, Guardians of the Galaxy 2 is a go with James Gunn returning to write and direct.

Perlman: “James will be directing ‘Guardians 2,’ so he would also be writing ‘Guardians 2."

Marvel has yet to confirm it but we may get some news on that, soon. And really, this isn't much of a surprise considering the incredible reaction to early screenings of the film. It was sitting at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and fan response has been equally strong. The question is whether Perlman will return. In our conversation she sounded hopeful but uncertain whether Marvel would ask for her back. She was the first writer to tackle the screenplay, having chosen the film as part of Marvel's screenwriting lab.

Read More

Rumor: Marvel's Phase Three Includes Doctor Strange, but No 'Guardians of the Galaxy' Sequel

While there's still a good deal of Marvel's Phase Two left, plans are already underway for Phase Three. And that of course means the rumors are already flying around about which films will comprise the next blockbuster line-up. Release dates seem to be locked in place, and we know Ant-Man will be amongst them, with development on Captain America and Thor sequels having begun. But we've also heard promises of a Doctor Strange film and some early buzz about Guardians of the Galaxy 2. Will either of those films make the cut? A new rumor has emerged that claims to have the answer.

According to the guys at Schomes Know (judge accordingly), the "absolute certain" line-up for Phase Three is Ant-Man, Captain America 3, Thor 3, The Avengers 3, and Doctor Strange. Marvel President Kevin Feige has basically been confirming Doctor Strange for awhile, so that's not much of a surprise. But what about 'Guardians 2'? The site's source claims that Marvel always envisioned it as a "one and done", and that continues to be their mindset unless that has suddenly changed in the last couple of weeks. The recent rumors of a sequel would seem to suggest their opinion has changed, but none of this can be taken as gospel until we hear some confirmations. The source continues on by saying...

"They only have so many films they can do each year and they don’t want them all to be trilogies to where they’re just dealing with the same handful of characters for the next 5-10 years."

But that doesn't really make sense considering most of these franchises have been staggered. Iron Man is done; Captain America and Thor are on the verge of completing their trilogies, which would open up room for two more. And in regards to new franchises, Black Panther and Inhumans are still in the pipeline but still a ways off.

Other than the Guardians of the Galaxy bit, none of this is particularly special. They go on to say that an announcement will come at Comic-Con, which is pretty much a given, right?

Read More

'Guardians of the Galaxy 2' to Face 'Batman vs. Superman' in 2016?

When delays forced Warner Bros. to bump Batman vs. Superman from 2015 and into 2016, they didn't just choose some random day out of a hat. Instead they made the somewhat aggressive move of choosing May 6th 2016, a date slotted by Marvel for one of their mystery Phase 3 films. While it would be cool to see how a Captain America or Thor sequel would fare against DC's heavyweight flick, a rumor has surfaced that it may be Marvel's new team of intergalactic heroes the Guardians of the Galaxy who get that shot.

According to Joblo, Marvel is readying Guardians of the Galaxy 2 for May 6th 2016, although a clarification from them says it may be another date in that that year. If true, it would show a ton of confidence in James Gunn's quirky film, which has no A-list heroes or much in the way of bankable actors. Then again, Marvel has probably gauged the incredible reaction to every piece of footage and knows they have a potential smash hit on their hands. They're already developing a 'Guardians' animated series which should be ready by fall 2015.

All of this could be contingent on Guardians of the Galaxy taking off big when it opens August 1st.

Read More