A year ago today, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy made its debut at the North American box office. It earned $37.8 million on its opening Friday, that includes $11.2 million from Thursday-night previews. It would go on to make $333.2 million domestically and $441 million overseas. The space opera was adored by critics and audiences alike.

To mark the occasion, James Gunn (Slither, Super), who wrote and directed Guardians of the Galaxy, has written a heartfelt letter to fans thanking them for their support.

Gunn wrote, via his official Facebook page:

One year ago today, Guardians of the Galaxy opened up in the U.S. and many places around the world. The movie massively over-performed that weekend, even by our own expectations, but what meant more to me is how much so many of you, no matter where you were from, took the story and the characters into your hearts. What meant more to me is that "We are Groot" became a rallying cry for unity among friends and families. What meant more to me is that you laughed at the dumb stuff I thought you'd miss, like "Cap'n's gotta teach stuff" and "I was thinking of something else." What meant more to me is that in our tenth week we were out-performing any comic book film in recent history - not because of the money, but because people were going back to see the film a second, third, fourth, fifth time, or more, because they loved it. What mattered to me is that after a lifetime of telling stories and half a lifetime making movies, I felt like you and I, filmmaker and audience, were at the same place at the same time.

It mattered to me mostly because I told a story fully with my heart, and you took it into yours. I don't think I can ever explain how much that means to me. It makes every failure I've ever had well worth it.

I get a lot of messages from people saying, "You made me believe in movies again." Well, you guys made me believe that what I spent my life doing was worth doing. And you strengthened my belief that nothing's worth doing, if it's not done honestly, and it's not done with love.

On this, the one year anniversary of the cinematic Guardians entering our solar system: thank you, thank you, thank you. We really are, truly, honestly Groot.

Love,

James

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 will arrive in theaters May 5, 2017.