Here are the the 5 things for comic-book lovers to look out for and expect when going to see Guardians of the Galaxy according to the Point of Geeks
The Birth of a Star-Lord
There has been talk of a young Han-Solo spin-off movie in the Star Wars universe. While Chris Pratt really shouldn't be considered, for appearances alone, he does possess most attributes on the Solo checklist. He's an every-man with a physical presence, smug, effortlessly charasmatic, and spontaneous among other things. Director James Gunn (Super) really found a diamond in the rough when he selected Pratt to lead his adaptation of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy. Since Pratt was more known for his comedy and pratfalls in TV shows, such as Parks and Recreation, than leading man charm. In other words it took a director with vision to see that this character:
Could become that character...
He could be a flash-in-the pan, or this could be the world's introduction to a new cinematic hero. Pratt is currently filming Jurassic World, the reboot to the classic Jurassic Park series. Provided that Guardians of the Galaxy is a hit, he also has the inevitable sequel on it's way and dare I say Avengers 3 to look forward to. His star is indeed looking bright.
Hearing Josh Brolin as Thanos
Ever since Thanos' infamous Infinity Gauntlet was glimpsed in Thor, fans have been salivating at the thought of the Marvel villain being included in the cinematic universe. These dreams became reality in the mid-credit sequence in The Avengers, which showed the space titan to be the mastermind of the invasion of New York. Then news on Thanos got pretty quiet. He wasn't included or mentioned in either Thor: The Dark World or Captain America: The Winter Solider. However fans of the comic knew that with Guardians of the Galaxy around the corner, his omission from this film wouldn't be as likely. We got our first hint of Thanos' inclusion in an article for Collider, in which a production meeting between the director James Gunn and Marvel head Kevin Feige was recalled:
"Gunn freezes a frame of an imposing-looking villain any serious comic book fan would recognize instantly. He sits on a rocket-powered throne. Feige sees something on the screen that he doesn’t like. The evildoer needs to be farther away in the frame so he looks more imperious, he says.
'I don’t know,' says Gunn. 'I think it’s going to look cool, man.'
'You just don’t want him to feel petty in that way,' Feige says. 'I think it’s a fine line.'
'How do you think it comes off as petty here?' Gunn says.
'He’s so damn close,' Feige says.
'Yeah,' concedes Gunn. 'I think I’m going to have him floating in space.'
Feige is concerned about the throne, too. He points at the base. 'Those don’t need to be rockets,' he says. 'Maybe gravity disks?' Feige says he’ll check back later.
In the hallway he extracts a pledge not to name the bad guy. 'That could not be a bigger spoiler,' Feige says."
Fans of Marvel Comics recognized who they were speaking of immediately.
There are too many connections between Thanos and the Guardians of the Galaxy, for him to be omitted without an extreme reworking of the mythology. Ultimately, the Avengers are destined to face off against him, but what actor could possibly have the gravitas to bring to life such a larger-than-life character? None other than Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men).
Thanos role is rumored and assumed to be small in this film. However, hearing Brolin's take on the voice and demeanor will give fans enough to fantasize about until we see him in action, presumably in the third Avengers installment. Marvel has seemingly hit the ball out of the park with their voice casting choices so far. Rumors are that Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel both deliver performances that truly bring the CG creations of Rocket Racoon and Groot to life. Brolin is sure to continue to keep a high level of quality. Can't wait to find out...
Infinity Stones and the connections to the Marvel Universe
In the comics and seemingly in the M.C.U. as well, the infinite power of the universe can be wielded with a magical gauntlet. The power source of the gauntlet are six stones which control Space, Time, Soul, Mind, Reality and Power. Some of these have been represented in various Marvel movies, whether it's the Tesseract in Captain America: The First Avenger or the Aether in Thor: The Dark World. The magic of the stones is real in this universe and it seems that is exactly why everyone wants what Star-Lord has.
In all likelihood, the stone will just be a simple macguffin within the context of the plot. However, an explanation how the various macguffins from the various Marvel films tie together would be beneficial for those not familiar with the mythology. Especially if delivered from a respected actor, such as Benecio Del Toro, would go a long way for audience members unfamiliar with the comics. That also could be a head-slapping moment, that builds momentum even further leading into Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Rocket Racoon and Groot/Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel
Yes, this is the point that everyone has been reading for... In the comics these two are an inseparable duo. They even spin off into their own adventures at times. So it makes sense that so much of the film weighs on the shoulders of a space raccoon and a sentient tree. In order for audiences to truly connect with the film, these two will have to be endearing and feel like they actually exist. Ultimately they will have to be the heart and soul of the movie.
To bring them to life, Marvel didn't scrap the bottom of the voice-over barrel to find the cheapest available talent. They went out and hired true movie stars who both have an impressive set of pipes, Bradley Cooper (American Hustle, Silver Linings Playbook) and Vin Diesel (Fast & Furious franchise).
Vin Diesel is not a stranger to voice-over work. Many have forgotten that he was the voice of The Iron Giant years ago. What couldn't have been expected was his gung-ho attitude to the part that only requires three words to be spoken. "I am Groot." However, he has totally committed. Don't take our word for it... check out the video evidence.
(Vin Diesel Walking on Stilts)
The moment Diesel was hired fans knew that we would get a deep, soulful voice coming out of Groot. Cooper's portrayal of Rocket Raccoon was more of a question mark, which is fitting of his character and role within the group in general.
Marvel Needed to Throw in a Wild Card
While the popularity of their movies is still extremely strong, Marvel Studios is at a turning point. Thus far Marvel's strategy of combining sub-genres with their comic-book properties has worked ingeniously. However, they are beginning to fall into a comfortable process of simply delivering sequels to the properties that they have already introduced. Up until this point the studio has enjoyed an extreme amount of financial success. It is time for Marvel to start taking chances and make bold creative decisions, much like the editors, writers and artists at Marvel Comics have done to keep it fresh.
Marvel's response has been to give us the Guardians of the Galaxy. A group of intergalactic anti-heroes, who barely qualify as good guys. Hopefully the film doesn't feel to cookie-cutter and gives us a new set of heroes, who truly live in the grey areas. Guardians of the Galaxy will be in theaters August 1st, 2014.
Sources: Point of Geeks