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COMIC-CON 2012

Comic-Con 2012: 'Guardians of the Galaxy' Team Line-Up Revealed

by Ethan Anderton
July 14, 2012

As expected, Marvel brought the thunder for their movie panel in Hall H, and the news came flowing like a dam had just exploded at Marvel Studios. Stay tuned for our news on the Thor and Captain America sequels, but when it comes to their new ambitious property, Guardians of the Galaxy, we finally have some real news. For those rabid fans who have been waited with bated breath to hear about this cosmic comic book adaptation, the time has come for you to learn the full line-up. Groot, Drax, Gamorra, Star Lord and yes, Rocket Raccoon, are your Guardians of the Galaxy. And we have our first good look below.

Here's the first concept art from Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, updated in high res from Disney:

Guardians of the Galaxy

Of course, we don't have a writer or director for the film just yet, but knowing the team line-up is a pretty damn good announcement for fans. For those who haven't been following or just have no idea about this comic series, here's some information. Created in 1969 with a new team assembled in 2008, Guardians of the Galaxy is set in the 31st century of an alternate timeline of the Marvel Universe where a group of alien beings, each the last of their kind, defend Earth. We'll hear more soon, but the film is already slated for release on August 1st, 2014. Stay tuned for more of Marvel's second phase of their cinematic universe!

Filed under Comic-Con 12, Development, Feat, Movie News

From around the web:

Zanpher

Oh, no writer, no director, just basically another artist's rendition of something they imagined, which has nothing to do with the movie ... nothing to see here.
- http://www.firstshowing.net Alex Billington
  
  I don't know... I'm pretty sure Marvel has a script and is lining up a director, it just hasn't been fully announced yet. I'm sure we'll find out soon, but I don't think they're this far in without an idea of who they want to lead this.
Secundus

In the words of Daniel Bryan, YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES! (Just please include the Nova Corps. and Adam Warlock as secondary characters...Quasar would be nice too. And Ronan...I'll stop now.)
- rocky728
  
  The rumor from a while back was that Thanos and Nova would make an appearance. So if true at least you'd get some of your wish. But you can't overload the film if you ask me so save some for the future
Ricardo_PT

I dont get it, how can they have the line up without having a script? What if the writer doesn't want to use one of those guys? Perhaps this is way we sometimes getstuck with horrible plots and storytelling in blockbusters :/
- rocky728
  
  The rumor that's been making the rounds for weeks now is that they do have a script and that they LOVE it. Nicole Perlman wrote it
DAVIDPD

GROOT! 'Nuff said.
- http://GamerXChange.net/ Simply G
  
  So glad he's there. I was worried they would go with the more recent comic versions of the Guardians and leave him out.
John

Rocket Raccoon? I am not really a comic book fan... but I am a huge comic-based movie fan, thanks to Raimi's Spider-Man, Nolan's Batman and Marvel's own Iron Man and Captain America. But now that Marvel is starting to go into more "magical" direction, I am going to have trouble getting excited for their projects. For example, I find Thor to be the least-relatable character from "phase one" because in effect he has magical powers. By contrast, Stark uses technology -- and even though Banner & Rogers are "superhuman", they had human beginnings. But as someone with little knowledge of the comics, I can't get excited for what appears to be a space raccoon with a gun. And quite frankly, in this age where audiences prefer a certain realism in their movies, I don't see these more "magical" films doing as much business for Marvel as the more "grounded" films did. If you are a comic lover, then it must be great to see these movies come to life. I am just giving the perspective of someone who enjoys Marvel's films, and I hope they introduce some more grounded and realistic heroes in addition to the more supernatural ones they have planned.
- http://GamerXChange.net/ Simply G
  
  Cosmic. Not supernatural. =p
- eddie
  
  Yeah but it might be the set up for The Avengers 2 because the GOTG go back in time to warn them. I'm not saying that's what they're going for but a possibility for sure
  - http://www.facebook.com/Narner Justin C. Farmer
    
    They do not go back in time. They exist in the same time. the movie is not about the original team
- DoomCanoe
  
  dude rocket raccoon is such a fun bad mouthed/bad ass character hes going to get alot of love and laughs from the crowd and i cant wait to see it happen
- Mike P.
  
  Thor unrelatable? I actually disagree there. Yes, he was a God with immense power, but that doesn't mean he didn't have human emotion and relatable problems that grounded him within the realm of "man." His story was one of ego, and being knocked off his high horse. Not only that but, fighting for your father's affection, attention and approval -- against a sibling nonetheless. The sibling rivalry with Loki was fantastic, easily comparable to an "adopted child" and the way it would fit in with a family that has their own conceived child. Jealousy, anger, desperation, etc. And when they bring Thor to Earth is when he begins his slow journey into realizing that he is not so different than the others that share the universe. Just because there are special effects or magic, doesn't make that the deepest layer of a movie. Just because the main character isn't a human being doesn't mean it should be written off as not being relatable. Hell, Toy Story is about toys being alive and not only their own dynamic within their toy group, but attachment with Andy, among many other things, and I'm sure tons of people can relate in some way to some of the issues the toys are facing.
  - John
    
    You misread my post. I said he was the least-relatable character, not that he was completely unrelatable.
- SirAvatar
  
  It isn't magic that gives him powers, in the movie Thor said it himself what humans believe to be magic is just a more advanced understanding of science it's not magical it's extraterrestrial
DRM

It's pretty clear that this movie is really just going to be a huge origin story for Thanos, setting him up as a big bad for the Avengers to fight down the line. This is especially obvious if they're using Drax. In fact, I wouldn't be at all surprised if the GotG actually LOST at the end of the move. That the whole movie these characters are built up to be loveable and sympathetic then they just flat out get beaten by Thanos at the film's end. All just setting it up for Avengers 2.
- BMN667
  
  I would F'n love that! Though it's so bold artistically, and leaves no room for Disney to milk the franchise, they'd never do it. . . but it would be Epic!
Hattori Hanzo

A furry raccoon with a gun is considered cool and bad ass huh? And you can say that with a straight face?? Alll rigggtttyy then! It seems that the day of the kids who grew up on Barney has arrived. My apologies to George Lucas; all of a sudden your Jar Jar Binks doesn't seem so bad anymore.
- http://twitter.com/stalkbrandon Brandon V. Fletcher
  
  Rocket Raccoon first appeared in 1976
- John
  
  Exactly. I think that mainstream audiences who are unfamiliar with the comics are going to take a lot of convincing to see this movie. That raccoon is just silly, If anyone can pull it off, it's Marvel. But right now I remain skeptical.
  - DoomCanoe
    
    i think this is the most I've replied to anything on this site. John the character fits into an archetype we have seen done many times before, and it always seems to sell and get a lot of love from the crowd. people seem to play towards the things that surprise them the most, if a trailer can convey that this Raccoon is not a joke character, but really the highlight of the cast with his larger then life attitude, big guns, bad temper/mouth and then make a few jokes at how he is a cute or small rodent he should be an easy sell.
    - John
      
      DoomCanoe, Thanks for the thoughtful response. I can tell now that he is kind of the badass funny character. And you're right that that's an archetype that usually gets a positive response from audiences. I'm sure it works well on the page. My question is will they be able to pull it off for a film? It's still a raccoon, and that will be the single greatest challenge for Marvel - convincing the audience that they should take the character seriously. I am looking forward to seeing just how they bring that character to life. Will it be animated CGI or based on performance capture, or will there be some type of makeup/prosthetic work?
      - DoomCanoe
        
        no thank you for bringing up real points and concerns and not just talking shit. Cause i totally understand where you're coming from, with the release of the first trailer audiences will probably be pretty skeptical about seeing some cigar smoking gun toting raccoon. Im also sure a lot of Howard the Duck comparisons will be made during that time. But! if they can show the character in small bits, making serious jokes, threats and being a bad ass i think the overall "what the fuck?!" factor could out weigh the negative response's and pull in a crowd.
- DoomCanoe
  
  i understand what your saying, because i said the same thing when UMvC3 announced him as a character. But after bad mouthing something i didn't know anything about, and judging a book by its cover i decided i would read up on Rocket Raccoon and the Guardians of the Galaxy. turns out he is an amazingly fun character, kind of like Starfox but with a more brutal Wolverieneish type attitude and a love for guns. the fact that he is an animal is the comedic twist of such a brutal character. Think Puss in Boots or Hit Girl.
Mark Bowman

It is a prelude to the Avengers next movie, and they fight Thanos! My only gripe, where's Warlock?????
ictimer

I am totally down for Rocket Raccoon. If anything, movies like this need MORE Rocket Raccoon-ness in them. Imagination. Its a great thing.
Sam

Remember when we used to hear about a movie and just get excited at the idea of something new coming to the big screen without all the necessary nerd BS and the so called"movie experts" writing off a film way before it even has had a chance to prove itself? Yeah, those were some good times....
http://www.facebook.com/Narner Justin C. Farmer

Just gotta respond to some of the hating I have seen about this. To those that doubt rocket raccoon: Yoda, Gremlins, Chronicles of Narnia. Seriously people It is a space epic. There are all kinds of strange critters. If there are other humanoids in the universe than why can't their be other raccoon like beings. It makes the same kind of sense. To Those that think doing the origins of all the characters in full detail is necessary: I say: The magnificent 7. Star Wars, The dirty dozen, (any war movie really). It is the team dynamic and conflict that is one of the best things about the Guardians. One thing though. Adam Warlock is so essential to dealing with Thanos that I will be incredibly shocked and surprised if he is not in the move.
Manuel

I haven't read one single comic book with Rocket Raccoon and I love the character already. Bring the big guns.
Ohgwad

This got box office failure written all over it....
Timberly Jones

Um. That part at the bottom is all wrong. Guardians of the Galaxy occurs in current time in the cannon Marvel universe. Star Lord is human, Drax is a human resurrected with the sole purpose to destroy Thanos, Gamorra is Thanos' adopted daughter, and Groot and Rocket Raccoon are anthropomorphic aliens. Unless you are talking about the movie plot and not the comic. It's not clear.
hungry4green

they need Quasar,Nova , Adam Warlock
http://www.facebook.com/carson.goodwyn Carson Goodwyn

A frickin raccoon and a tree! You gotta be fricken kidding me. Smells like the mouse(Disney) had its hands in this and it's gonna be as bad as the lame-ass ultimate spider crap they have been feeding us on tv!
- Steve Reed
  
  RR has been around Marvel longer than Disney, last I checked Disney didnt promote foul mouthed, gun toting animals that smoke cigars.
chuck

would definitely rather have seen the original guardians of the galaxy than this new one.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Daniel-Ketchum/100000649436124 Daniel Ketchum

A raccoon.God almighty.
asdf

They can`t do an origin history without Adam Warlock.