Comic book writer Brian Michael Bendis has been deeply involved with Marvel's Cinematic Universe ever since it debuted with
Iron Man (2008), for which he wrote the post-credits sequence that introduced Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury. While still in the mix with the many films that're forthcoming, Bendis and artist Steve McNiven were recently announced as headliners for the
Marvel NOW! comic series,
Guardians of the Galaxy. And given that the interstellar superhero team-up, of the same name, is getting the big screen treatment (slated for 2014), Brian Michael Bendis explained in a recent
Marvel.com Q&A how the movie's development inspired the series.
“I work with the Marvel Creative Committee on the movies, and this is one of the projects that we’ve been helping out with since the beginning. So, in the context of that, I was doing a lot of re-reading and research, and research of course means reading a lot of comics! I’d read all the [Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning] stuff, and I’d read a bunch of the older stuff. Just as a fan, just as reading, not as a writer thinking about the characters much or anything. We were talking about the characters, what they want and their reliability. I dug up some of their origin stories, particularly Peter Quill’s origin story, which as I tweeted recently I had come across, and decided that it was, for my money, as good as Superman or Spider-man’s origin—it was just no one knew it! It was literally a two-page story in MARVEL PREMIERE about 34 years ago, and I just really really liked it. As the movie was getting closer, and more drafts were coming in, they called me and said “Listen, you were so excited during the Guardians movie calls, we need to get this book back in the public eye. We really want to make it more a part of the Marvel Universe.”
Although Brian Michael Bendis' Marvel NOW! series may not include elements directly from the film, it was recently reported that the
Guardians of the Galaxy movie would focus more on the roster's humanoid characters - Star-Lord, Gamora, and Drax the Destroyer - rather than the talking tree and gun-toting raccoon, Groot and Rocket. It's also said that the three characters will be getting major visual and backstory updates so they'd fit into the cinematic universe. And for the remainder of Bendis' Q&A, he drops character dynamics and elements from the comic series that would be interesting enough to translate on-screen. So, check out the full interview over at
Marvel.com!
Special thanks to Chewy for the heads up
Marvel Studios presents “Guardians of the Galaxy”—the big cinematic event exploring an interstellar super hero team-up, featuring Marvel characters Star-Lord, Drax the Destroyer, Gamora, Groot and Rocket Raccoon. While story details are under wraps, the film is rumored to lead with a U.S. pilot who ends up in space in the middle of a universal conflict and goes on the run with futuristic ex-cons who have something everyone wants.
Directed by James Gunn from a screenplay by James Gunn, “Guardians of the Galaxy” is based on the Marvel comic book series “Guardians of the Galaxy,” first published in 1969 and revived in 2008. While a director and ensemble cast have yet to be announced, “Guardians of the Galaxy” will assemble on August 1, 2014. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures will distribute the film. In addition to “Guardians of the Galaxy”, Marvel Studios will release a slate of films based on other iconic Marvel characters including “Iron Man 3” on May 3, 2013; “Thor: The Dark World ” on November 8, 2013; “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” on April 4, 2014; and the currently-untitled sequel to “Marvel's The Avengers,” the third highest grossing film of all time, on May 1, 2015.