The Marvel Cinematic Universe juggernaut barrels on as the promotional campaign for Guardians of the Galaxy kicks into gear, not even with a trailer, but with promotional stills teasing a premiere on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Tuesday night accompanied by star Chris Pratt.
Guardians of the Galaxy may seem like a strange next move for Marvel‘s movie efforts—it’s a somewhat obscure team even by comic book fan standards—but it’s not the first time has used movies as an opportunity to push a relatively-obscure character into the limelight. That would be 1998’s Blade, which spawned its own franchise that kicked Guillermo del Toro’s career into high gear with Blade II.
James Gunn appears to have the same opportunity with Guardians of the Galaxy. His prior credits include writing the Scooby-Doo movies and Tromeo & Juliet. Having to live up to comparisons with Iron Man, Thor, and The Avengers is no easy task, especially with a premise and setting that draws comparisons to WB’s flop Green Lantern, although the Marvel Cinematic Universe seems like it can do no wrong with hit after hit under its belt.
Guardians of the Galaxy seems poised to recapture the same magic as The Avengers, in particular, with an ensemble cast featuring plenty of noteworthy, likable household names and nerd icons, including Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Lee Pace, Karen Gillan, Dave “WWE‘s Batista” Bautista, Glenn Close, John C. Reilly, Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel.
Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel play best friends who happen to be a machine-gun-wielding anthropomorphic raccoon named “Rocket Raccoon” and a tree-man from space named “Groot,” respectively. It’s impossible to emphasize how awesome that is.
Fans of past Marvel movies might also recognize Benecio Del Toro as “The Collector,” a character established during the mid-credits teaser of Thor: The Dark World. Plus, while Marvel hasn’t promoted him as part of Guardians of the Galaxy, Thanos—the sinister figure revealed in the mid-credits teaser of The Avengers—is likely to make an appearance, if only as his traditionally critical part of Drax the Destroyer (Bautista)’s origin.
Guardians of the Galaxy premieres August 1st, 2014.
