MTV caught up with The Avengers writer/director Joss Whedon at TIFF and one of the topics they broached was how Marvel is planning on making Guardians of the Galaxy their next big franchise. He admits he was skeptical that the film could work himself, but when Marvel told him that they were looking at James Gunn he said they’d be fine.

“I myself was sort of like, ‘Well, I liked Rocket Raccoon as a kid, but I’m not sure how that plays [to a wider audience].’ And then they said, ‘Well, we’re thinking about using James Gunn.’ And I said, ‘Oh, then no, you’re fine.’ He is so off the wall, and so crazy, but so smart, such a craftsman and he builds from his heart. He loves the raccoon. Needs the raccoon,” said Whedon.

He added that Gunn has barely started on the script. “He has a very twisted take on it, but it all comes from a real love for the material. It’s going to be hard for the humans to keep up. I know he’s going to come from left field and I’m going to go, ‘What?’ And then, ‘Of course, why didn’t I think of that?’ And then I’m going to beat him!”

The team will consist of Star-Lord, Drax the Destroyer, Groot, Rocket Racoon and Gamora. Guardians of the Galaxy is slated to hit theaters August 1, 2014.