Marvel fans have been given a peek behind the curtain of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the recently released book The Story of Marvel Studios, which has offered up a wealth of info on Marvel’s rise from movie studio start-up to global box office behemoth.
Discussing the development of 2013’s Guardians of the Galaxy, which was at the time Marvel’s riskiest project by far, Kevin Feige revealed that the studio originally planned on introducing the lesser-known characters to audiences through a series of Marvel One-Shots (remember those?) that would have played before Phase Two releases Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World and Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Taking to social media, director James Gunn has elaborated on the story, and what was planned for the shorts:
There were going to be 4 – Rocket & Groot, Gamora, Drax, & Star-Lord. Only the Rocket & Groot script was fully finished, but it was also completely storyboarded. It was the story of how they met & I still think it’s true in my headcanon. Also I wrote a role for @AlanTudyk in it!
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) October 25, 2021
The 4th short was going to be Quill’s backstory which is really what’s at the beginning of Guardians now. It was really hard for me to admit it was too much for me & I was sad deciding I couldn’t do them (especially Rocket & Groot). But, you know, maybe someday!
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) October 25, 2021
Gunn is currently reuniting with his Guardians cast members for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which kicked off production this month and is being shot back-to-back with Disney+’s The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.
Returning for the trilogy closer are Chris Pratt (Star-Lord), Zoe Saldana (Gamora), Dave Bautista (Drax the Destroyer), Bradley Cooper (Rocket Raccoon), Vin Diesel (Groot), Karen Gillan (Nebula), Pom Klementieff (Mantis), Sean Gunn (Kraglin and Rocket Raccoon) and Elizabeth Debecki (Ayesha), while Will Poulter has joined the cast in the role of Adam Warlock.
