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. 

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Because Everybody Needs More Groot in Their Lives...

There's no way Marvel could have predicted how much people would love Guardians of the Galaxy, but more than that they couldn't have known audiences would take to Groot the way they have. The talking tree creature, along with his best pal Rocket, stole the film for most people thanks to the incredible voice work by Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper. But there's one scene in particular that people can't stop talking about, and if you haven't seen the movie yet it's probably a good idea to bail right now and go see it.

The scene everybody loves, of course, is the one where a tiny baby Groot begins dancing to the sounds of the Jackson 5 while Drax (Dave Bautista) is none the wiser. People love this moment so much they are demanding Marvel make it a toy available for purchase, and we all know that will probably happen soon enough. Maybe it will come with the limited edition Blu-Ray or something. Anyway, Marvel has now put that scene out for everyone to see and watch on an endless loop. At the same time, James Gunn has revealed that Groot's smooth moves were performed by him, just in case you thought that was Diesel's groove.

Gunn: "Baby Groot dancing is 100 percent me. I was too embarrassed for anyone to be there, so I made everyone leave the room and I set up a camera and I videotaped myself dancing. Then I sent the video to the animators and had them animate over that. I begged them not to leak the video! Two of my closest friends came to an early screening and said 'Hey, I recognize those moves! That's you dancing isn't it?!'"

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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.

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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

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Review: 'Guardians of the Galaxy' Starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, and Bradley Cooper

It's hard to imagine that this run of Marvel Studios dominance has only been going on for six years. Think about that for a moment. In that short amount of time they have completely revolutionized the way Hollywood works, and established comic book movies as the new standard by which blockbusters are measured. But in 2008 when this all began with Iron Man, the characters Marvel still held the rights to weren't that big of a deal. Certainly they weren't on the level of Spider-Man or the X-men. Clearly, that has changed in the years since but Marvel's shining achievement may be what they have been able to accomplish with Guardians of the Galaxy, an odd assortment of unknown heroes that may be poised to overtake The Avengers as today's most popular super-team.

One of the great things about Marvel's films is their combination of action, operatic drama, and humor, but Guardians of the Galaxy is the first that leans heaviest on laughs; fitting for the offbeat mind of writer/director James Gunn. Gunn, who has ventured into the world of superheroes before with The Specials and Super, has done what many thought would be extremely difficult if not impossible; expand the Marvel universe into the far reaches of space while still making it feel cohesive as ever. With its quirky humor, weirdly lovable characters, and eclectic soundtrack, there is no other Marvel film quite like Guardians of the Galaxy. Once that may have seemed like a reason for worry, but it turns out to be a very good thing.

With a tone set somewhere between Star Wars and Joss Whedon's Firefly, the film begins in 1988 when a young Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) witnesses the death of his mother, and fleeing to get distance from the emotional pain is suddenly abducted by a space ship. Now older and going by the ridiculous name of Star-Lord, Quill has been working alongside his abductors, a group of intergalactic scavengers led by Yondu (Michael Rooker). Well, he had been working with them before betraying them to collect the reward on a mysterious McGuffin orb that has attracted the attention of some unsavory folks.

One of those folks is the green-skinned assassin Gamora (Zoe Saldana), who has also betrayed her family by turning her back on half-sister Nebula (Karen Gillan) and their fanatical employer, Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace). Ronan is willing to tear the universe to shreds in order to find the orb and appease his boss, the mad villain Thanos (voiced by Josh Brolin), who happens to be Gamora's "father". As if that wasn't bad enough, Yondu has put a bounty on Yondu's head, which forces a disastrous encounter with gun-obsessed raccoon Rocket and walking tree creature Groot (voiced by Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel). Captured by the universal police force known as the Nova Corps (with John C. Reilly and Glenn Close turning in memorable performances), they are thrown into a space prison where they crash headlong into inmate Drax the Destroyer (WWE superstar Dave Bautista), an alien fueled by rage for Ronan and Thanos.

So what you have is a seemingly incompatible, rag-tag group of loners forced together by circumstance and mutual enemies, and if that sounds like The Avengers and Star Wars all rolled into one then you're right. Clearly both were influences in some manner but Gunn and co-writer Nicole Perlman give the film its own signature voice to stand out from the pack. Bruce Banner may call the Avengers a "ticking time bomb" but the Guardians are that on a galactic level, and part of the fun is how these characters' personalities hilariously clash as they rocket from one breakneck battle to the next. The laughs and action never slow down for a moment and what is a two-hour film feels like half that by the time it's over.

There are a lot of balls in the air for Gunn to juggle and while the plot is a bit messy he skillfully steers his first major blockbuster effort. Each of the Guardians get their moment to shine, but a superstar has truly been made in Chris Pratt, the funnyman who was probably the least likely yet the most perfect choice to play the irreverent Star-Lord. Fans have obviously taken to Rocket and Groot, two extremely popular characters in the comics who are now going to be very popular with moviegoers. You'd be hard-pressed to even know that was Cooper's voice, while Diesel's job is tougher than people will care to admit. Sure, Groot's single "I am Groot" phrasing is repetitive but there is nuance there for those who listen out for it....and it makes for some great gags. His performance will remind many of his soulful voice work on The Iron Giant. Bautista admirably channels much of the rage and aggression he employs in WWE rings to the role of Drax, while Saldana is probably the most experienced at playing grim and bad ass. She kind of gets the short end of the stick character-wise but Gamora is an important character with the closest ties to Thanos, and she should be more important in future movies. Speaking of Thanos, you can sense a straining to fit him into this story simply because he's going to be the big bad guy down the line. It should have been much easier considering his beef with practically every single member of the Guardians, but instead pushing him into the background leads to some awkwardly irrelevant scenes that diminish him as a universal threat. Ronan proves to be a mostly unimpressive villain, too, and his quasi-religious rantings don't hold much weight as a result. And despite a rousing, crowd-pleasing finale full of awesome aerial dogfights and beautifully choreographed fight sequences, the lack of a compelling enemy really hurts.

Fortunately, the team is so engaging and diverse that we just want to hang out with them, anyway. Guardians of the Galaxy takes us to a vibrant, dangerous, and funny corner of the Marvel universe that we've never seen before, and by the time the film comes to an end you'll be eager for a return visit.

 Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Trav's Tip: For more on Guardians of the Galaxy, check out my interview with co-writer Nicole Perlman here!

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James Gunn Wants to Make a 'Thunderbolts' Movie

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy may have seemed like a gamble some months ago, but early buzz has been so strong they've already begun plans for a sequel. A big part of those plans is the offbeat humor of writer/director James Gunn, who will be coming back to helm at least one more film with the quirky team of heroes. Although to hear it from him there's another prominent team he hopes to get a shot at.

While talking with Screenrant, Gunn expressed his desire to direct a film on Marvel's team of phony heroes known as the Thunderbolts...

Gunn: "Thunderbolts? I will tell you, one time I was saying to Kevin [Feige], we were sitting on set together on one of the days he visited and I said, ‘You know, I really want to make Thunderbolts,’ and he said, ‘James, if Guardians does well you’ll be able to do whatever you want so we’ll see what happens."

So what makes the Thunderbolts so cool? They debuted back in 1996 after the epic terrible Onslaught crossover when the world thought the Avengers were dead. They were initially thought to be heroes filling the void, but they were soon discovered to be the villainous Masters of Evil in disguise. They kept up their ruse for months, completely fooling the world into thinking they were on the side of good. Some of them eventually were reformed while others stayed true to their evil nature. Of course when the truth became known it put them at odds with the Avengers. And who was the Thunderbolts' first public mission against? The Hulk. Maybe if that Hulk movie happens it would a good place to introduce the Thunderbolts, too?

The Thunderbolts comic is very different now but hopefully Gunn is interesting in the original version not the current one.

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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.

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James Gunn Destroys Hulk/Guardians of the Galaxy Crossover Rumors; New Clip Revealed

Props to our friends at ThePlaylist for this one. Although it has been debunked multiple times over the last few months, the original rumor of a Planet Hulk-based movie has proven as hard to kill as a zombie from The Walking Dead. In short, Planet Hulk sees the Avengers launching the Hulk into space where he lands on a gladiatorial world and fights his way to become their ruler. Part of the reason the rumor has persisted so is the emergence of yet another story that said the Guardians of the Galaxy would be teaming up with Hulk in a film that used plenty of Planet Hulk elements. Was any of it true? Well, here's what James Gunn rather emphatically told ThePlaylist when they asked him about it....

Gunn: "I can answer that question very easily: it is absolute, 100% bullshit."

Okay, well, there you go. Oh wait, there's more of him stomping on the rumor like Mario on a Koopa's head?

Gunn: "It feels like a great relief to finally say this after all the dumb stuff on the Internet....There's not going to be a 'Planet Hulk' movie, there was never going to be a 'Planet Hulk' movie, there was never plan for the Hulk to team up with the Guardians of the Galaxy – I wouldn't want the Hulk to team up with the Guardians of the Galaxy! And it's all a bunch of complete bullshit."

Once done Hulking out, Gunn did have an idea why the Planet Hulk rumors have stuck around so long, and it involves the Planet Sakaar, which is where the Hulk jettisoned off to in the comic storyline...

Gunn:  "The whole thing, like there's Sakaraan in the movie. And the reason there's Sakaraan in the movie is because there aren't that many alien races in the Marvel Universe and of those prominent alien races, such as the Kree and the Skrull"

That's actually not true at all, there are way too many alien races in the Marvel Universe, but what he probably meant is that there are only so many he has the rights to use. He goes on to say the script originally called for the alien Badoon rather than Sakaraan but they don't own the rights. They're probably over at 20th Century Fox as part of the Fantastic Four deal. Gunn also says he has "very specific" plans for the Kree and Skrull which could be hinting at future stories. Are we possibly going to the famous Kree/Skrull War on the big screen?

I'll be speaking with Guardians of the Galaxy co-writer Nicole Perlman tomorrow and hopefully will be able to get some more info on the film before it opens August 1st. For now, check out a new five-minute long clip that shows the team as they are hauled off to space prison.

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New 'Guardians of the Galaxy' Extended Trailer, Photos, and More

Today is turning out to be a big one for Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy. By now thousands of eager Marvelites have had a chance to attend a 17-minute preview of the film, three weeks before it hits theaters. And James Gunn has hit Facebook to announce that he's wrapped up post production and is getting ready to start spreading the word about the space-faring adventure...

Gunn: ”Well, other than finalizing the 3D, I’m officially wrapped on Guardians of the Galaxy and on my way to the airport to fly to Singapore to begin the press wing of this journey. I saw some amazing VFX shots today to wraps things up. I couldn’t be feeling more gratitude and love for all the people who have helped create this film. However the audiences take it, there’s not a single dishonest or impure bone in Guardians’ cinematic body – and that’s a hell of a thing for a spectacle film of this size with so many people involved. Best experience of my life. Thank you all.”

Marvel is jumping into the marketing in another way, as well, by releasing a ton of new photos (some via Empire) and an extended trailer with plenty footage we've never seen. The photos give us a look at Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, and Lee Pace as villain Ronan the Accuser. We also get a glimpse at Ronan's ship, the Dark Aster, not to mention John C. Reilly and Glenn Close as members of the Nova Corp and Michael Rooker as Yondu.

Guardians of the Galaxy opens August 1st.

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy – Exclusive Extended Trailer by FanReviews

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James Gunn Teases Yondu in 'Guardians of the Galaxy'; Plus New Character Posters

Although we saw a few set images of Michael Rooker as the intergalactic hunter Yondu in Guardians of the Galaxy, he's been pretty much absent from all of the film's marketing. Not that he's expected to be a major character or anything like that, but clearly James Gunn has plans for him which is why he reached out to Rooker for the role. Gunn has now taken to Facebook and teased this image of Yondu, while offering this comment on bringing Rooker into the film...

#gotgpicoftheday Michael Rooker onset as Yondu. You'll be seeing more of him soon. Yondu was not in the original script. I added him and wrote the role specifically for Rooker. I wasn't sure Marvel was going to go for either idea, so I was relieved when they responded enthusiastically to both.

Marvel has also released three new Guardians of the Galaxy posters ahead of the film's August 1st debut, featuring Groot, Gamora, and Rocket Raccoon. With so many colorful characters here's hoping they issue some featuring the supporting cast. Or at least the villains.

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Fan-Favorite Cameo in 'Guardians of the Galaxy' Confirmed

I hesitate to call this a Guardians of the Galaxy spoiler because it's been talked about for months. The real spoiler would be the character being played and not so much the actor playing him, but let's just offer up some *Spoiler Space* as a courtesy to those who may not be aware....

Okay, so Nathan Fillion and Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn have quite a history, working together on the movies Slither and Super. They're also good friends off-camera, which led many to speculate Fillion would have a role in the Marvel movie. And here's what Fillion said some months ago on that very subject....

Fillion:  "[Want] to get a part? Or maybe did. I'm just saying maybe. Maybe it'll be a surprise. Maybe check the credits of the movie when you watch it."

Turns out the answer is "yes', yes Fillion has a cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy, confirmed by Gunn himself...

“@STARS_TyranT: Are the rumours true that he has some part in the film?” @nathanfillion has a very small fun cameo he did as a favor to me.
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) June 21, 2014

 And of course people have been saying Fillion would play Rich Rider aka Nova, a member of the Nova Corps which we know have quite a role to play in the movie. Turns out that is not what's happening...

The rumors of my pal @NathanFillion playing Nova in #guardiansofthegalaxy have been greatly (and entirely) exaggerated. Sorry, humans.
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) June 21, 2014

Fillion may not even be a recognizable Marvel character. Perhaps he shows up as a "spin" on his Mal Reynolds character from Firefly?  So keep an eye out for Fillion when Guardians of the Galaxy opens on August 1st.

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New 'Guardians of the Galaxy' TV Spot, Star Wars-Style Poster, and IMAX 3D Details

One way Marvel can get everyone to stop talking about Ant-Man is by way of distraction, and the next shiny object to be dangled is Guardians of the Galaxy. Actually, the two movies are related by way of their quirkiness and Marvel's reluctance to have two major projects with a similar tone. James Gunn is at the helm and penned the script for 'Guardians', which has taken on a new level of importance with recent revelations about its ties to The Avengers 3 plus the addition of Josh Brolin as the voice of lunatic villain, Thanos. But there will be other surprises in store for those who check out the film in IMAX 3D, as revealed by Gunn on his Facebook page...

As an EXTRA benefit for those who see the film in IMAX 3D, we will be changing aspect ratios throughout the film in a way that makes the experience even fuller and more encompassing. I've personally chosen all the places where the changes occur and, again, I love how it's coming along. The changing aspect ratios in this case are actually a part of the storytelling.

It'll be interesting to see when and why these shifts occur but it's just another thing to keep an eye out for while on the hunt for Easter Eggs. Gunn has also endorsed an awesome unofficial poster done in the style of the original Star Wars one-sheet, along with more done by the artist collective known as the Poster Posse. While the Star Wars one is my favorite, the Marvel Comics poster is great too. There are actually a lot more images than this, which you can find here. Do go and check them out, then demand they be made into t-shirts. 

Finally, a new TV spot has hit the screen that serves up more of Bradley Cooper's Rocket Raccoon and Glenn Close's ridiculous hair as the Nova Corps leader, Irani Rael. Guardians of the Galaxy opens August 1st.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY - Official TV Spot 2 by itsartmag

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