Guardians of the Galaxy James Gunn is directing Guardians of the Galaxy!

[brainchild81]

No surprise for me. I love Slither and especially Super, and so him knocking this out of the park was no surprise for me. While I love Guardians of the Galaxy most of all his films, it shares a lot of thematic DNA with Super: both are ostensibly goofy, fun films which at their core are surprisingly moving stories about damaged, hurting people finding each other.

Ditto. I like all of his films that I've seen. This is now at the very top of that list!

 

[The Endless]

Gunn's direction and overall vision elevated the pretty cliche plot i think.

It's pretty similar to The Avengers in terms of structure. But the details, the characterization and the unique sensibilities just separate it and make it seem fresh.

I mean, the opening titles sequence with the lead character dancing and using an alien lizard as a microphone singing to "come and get your love"... who the hell does that? How can you dislike a movie that does things like that?

 

[Darkraid]

Gunn's direction and overall vision elevated the pretty cliche plot i think.

It's pretty similar to The Avengers in terms of structure. But the details, the characterization and the unique sensibilities just separate it and make it seem fresh.

I mean, the opening titles sequence with the lead character dancing and using an alien lizard as a microphone singing to "come and get your love"... who the hell does that? How can you dislike a movie that does things like that?

Agreed, I knew when I saw the sequence that I was in for a treat. Grinning when he used the mouse as a mic.

I think Gunn is the best character writer for Marvel Studios right now. Need to use him as consultant for future movies. Some of the MCU films need some help in that area.

 

[Doctor Jones]

Bravo to Gunn. Really. I liked Slither and Super, and as much I thought it was great he was directing this, I was a little afraid what made his sensibilities that are prized by some wouldn't be fully embraced. But my God, he exceeded everything. People not only got his vision, but they dug it. That takes a great filmmaker right there.

 

[Raiden]

Both Gunn and the Russo Bros. are great additions to Marvel Studios. I hope they will continue to make movies for Marvel for a long time.

 

[Cooty_Cat]

Both Gunn and the Russo Bros. are great additions to Marvel Studios. I hope they will continue to make movies for Marvel for a long time.

Yeah you have 3 franchise Directors in Whedon, The Russo's, and now Gunn. Each with a unique take on their franchise. How lucky is that?

 

[ЯɘvlveR]

James Gunn is a God. It's already one of my favorite films ever, and probably usurped TDK as best CBM to me. It was everything i would have wanted form a JL film, only more scruffy and nerf heardy.

 

[Webfoot Hero]

James Gunn has been posting some pretty good tweets from celebrities who saw the movie, including some mentioned in the film. Here's a sampling:

Elizabeth Banks @ElizabethBanks · Aug 1
Buying my tix for #GuardiansOfTheGalaxy. This film is gonna rock! So psyched for my boo, @JamesGunn.

RainnWilson @rainnwilson · Aug 1
Hope you're all going to see Guardians of the Galaxy this weekend! I am. 27 times. @JamesGunn & a talking raccoon? C'mon!

Andy Richter @AndyRichter · 21h
Hey, @JamesGunn, Guardians of the Galaxy was ****ING FANTASTIC

John Stamos @JohnStamos · 11h
You don't wanna get mixed up with a guy like me. I'm a loner, Dottie. A rebel. So long, Dott. #GuardiansOfTheGalaxy

Kevin Bacon @kevinbacon · 10h
Hey @JamesGunn Just out of #GuardiansOfTheGalaxy it's nothing short of #Super IMHO

edgarwright @edgarwright · Aug 1
Good luck to Mr @JamesGunn this weekend. Truly one of the good guys x

 

[terry78]

Yeah, Gunn did a lot of **** in this movie that showcased his signature style, so creative freedom is still in play. The stinger alone was something I thought they'd never do.

 

[Raiden]

Yeah, Gunn did a lot of **** in this movie that showcased his signature style, so creative freedom is still in play. The stinger alone was something I thought they'd never do.

I thought IM3 should've been proof enough that Marvel would let their directors have their creative freedom when making movies for them; it was a real Shane Black kind of movie.

 

[Son of Coul]

Yeah -- Whedon, Black, and Gunn's styles (especially in writing & performances) shine through their respective MCU movies. Whedon's is just less obvious because it blends the most with comic book-y writing and Marvel's overall style because that's his wheelhouse.

But overall, if the GOTG meet up with Avengers, Gunn should definitely be involved. Whedon's got snarky outcasts down to a science, but Gunn has the domain on damaged a-holes.

That last part may have come out wrong...

 

[DA_Champion]

I thought IM3 should've been proof enough that Marvel would let their directors have their creative freedom when making movies for them; it was a real Shane Black kind of movie.

Didn't they give more freedom than normal to Black because RDJ was leveraging his power?

 

[The Endless]

Yea i think RDJ had Black's back for IM3. But i don't imagine Marvel would get someone like Black and not let him bring his quirks to it. Otherwise what is the point in hiring Shane Black? Same with James Gunn.

I think i remember an interview with Whedon for the build up to Avengers where he said Marvel basically gave him bullet points of things that had to be in the film, then just let him get to them bullet points and fill in the details himself. That's why i think Avengers, Iron Man 3 and Guardians might all be structurally similar, but personality wise very dissimilar and distinct from each other.

 

[metaphysician]

This is part of why I wonder if the problems with Thor 2 were from Alan Taylor not actually grokking the movie sufficiently, rather than evil executive meddling. Across the three other movies of this phase, Marvel has consistently picked good directors who brought their own style to the movies and executed them brilliantly, and across a range of serious/comedic tone levels. It seems weird to think that Marvel just randomly decided they would turn evil meddler for just one of the movies.

 

[Webfoot Hero]

James Gunn sent out a heartfelt letter on his FB page thanking everyone who made GotG the success it has become. You can tell how much he cared about this project and I'm glad moviegoers are showing reciprocating by going to see this movie.

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

 

[Octoberist]

This is part of why I wonder if the problems with Thor 2 were from Alan Taylor not actually grokking the movie sufficiently, rather than evil executive meddling. Across the three other movies of this phase, Marvel has consistently picked good directors who brought their own style to the movies and executed them brilliantly, and across a range of serious/comedic tone levels. It seems weird to think that Marvel just randomly decided they would turn evil meddler for just one of the movies.

It also could be a personality thing too.

 

[Moridin]

This is part of why I wonder if the problems with Thor 2 were from Alan Taylor not actually grokking* the movie sufficiently, rather than evil executive meddling. Across the three other movies of this phase, Marvel has consistently picked good directors who brought their own style to the movies and executed them brilliantly, and across a range of serious/comedic tone levels. It seems weird to think that Marvel just randomly decided they would turn evil meddler for just one of the movies.

I don't think Taylor was necessarily the problem, after all, he isn't a writer. I was talking about the TDW writers in another thread so I looked up who wrote it (it's like 5 or 6 writers) and found out Don Payne (who also wrote the first Thor) died of bone cancer in March 2013. I'm wondering if this affected the development of the script.

I think the way they wanted to go, from Thor's little speech near the end about wanting to be "a good man rather than a great king" was to show the moral compromises you have to make as a king. That idea is kind of floating around the film, and is probably what they had in mind for Thors arc, but is never focused on or developed, I'm guessing because the production schedule/deadlines got in the way (therefore Thor doesn't really have an arc in the film).

If they had the script I'm sure Taylor would have delivered, I love the look/vibe he brought to the film.

*also, "grokking"

[/offtopic]

So, Gunn did a good job, eh?

 

[terry78]

Man is a class act all the way. His response to the question of a Planet Hulk film cracked !me up.

 

[Octoberist]

I've met Gunn at Comic Con. Very down to earth.

 

[TeeKay]

Yea i think RDJ had Black's back for IM3. But i don't imagine Marvel would get someone like Black and not let him bring his quirks to it. Otherwise what is the point in hiring Shane Black? Same with James Gunn.

I think i remember an interview with Whedon for the build up to Avengers where he said Marvel basically gave him bullet points of things that had to be in the film, then just let him get to them bullet points and fill in the details himself. That's why i think Avengers, Iron Man 3 and Guardians might all be structurally similar, but personality wise very dissimilar and distinct from each other.

And he basically had to rewrite the whole Avengers script in a short period of time, replacing Ant-Man and Wasp with Widow and Hawkeye. It's really a miracle he pulled it off. He's the one director that really got the short end of the stick by Marvel yet he pulled it off.

 

[Webfoot Hero]

Before this film, I had no idea who James Gunn really was and what he'd bring to GotG. Now after seeing GotG and the stuff he posts on Twitter and FB, I can't wait to see what he brings to the sequel.

 

[Cooty_Cat]

James Gunn sent out a heartfelt letter on his FB page thanking everyone who made GotG the success it has become. You can tell how much he cared about this project and I'm glad moviegoers are showing reciprocating by going to see this movie.

Man it makes you feel confident when you have, not only a good director making a movie about characters you like, but also a director that REALLY seems excited about making that movie. I thought Whedon was excited until that post by Gunn. How in gods name can you not be a marvelite with actors and directors so gung-ho about the material.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Really nice message from James Gunn there. Not only is he a talented director, but he comes across as a really passionate guy. I'm really happy for him and all this success he's getting.

And now... I'm about to watch Tromeo & Juliet!

 

[marcvader]

Man it makes you feel confident when you have, not only a good director making a movie about characters you like, but also a director that REALLY seems excited about making that movie. I thought Whedon was excited until that post by Gunn. How in gods name can you not be a marvelite with actors and directors so gung-ho about the material.

I feel Reed is also of the ilk. And what do you tell me about the Russo's? I can buy all these guys being legitimate comicbook readers when they were kids. The other director's Marvel Studios has hired not so much.

 

[Dr. Remy Lebeau]

James Gunn sent out a heartfelt letter on his FB page thanking everyone who made GotG the success it has become. You can tell how much he cared about this project and I'm glad moviegoers are showing reciprocating by going to see this movie.

Only a guy that thinks like this could have given so much heart to such an oddball concept like Guardians! He's a diamond in the rough, and I'm so happy to have him part of the Marvel filmmaking family!