By Rudie Obias | 7 years ago

In 2014, Marvel Studios will be releasing two movies for Phase Two of their Cinematic Universe. While Captain America: The Winter Soldier will follow Steve Rogers in modern day, Guardians of the Galaxy will take to outer space with a new team of rogue outlaws. Guardians of the Galaxy is a risky move on Marvel’s part, but director James Gunn and the film’s lead Chris Pratt believe that fans will be happy with the new additions to Marvel Studios roster of superheroes. And now Gunn has tweeted the image above, our first official look at the cosmic outlaws.

The image places the Guardians of the Galaxy in sort of a police lineup, not too dissimilar to the concept art (seen below) revealed at San Diego Comic-Con this past July. We get a better look at Zoe Saldana as the green-skinned Gamora and Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Star-Lord. Groot (surprisingly) isn’t as big as he is in the comic books, but I’m sure that, like most trees, he’ll grow. Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer looks menacing, while Rocket Raccoon looks small, yet deadly. Overall, the Guardians look freakin’ fantastic!

In an interview with Empire Magazine, director James Gunn plays down the riskiness of the film, even though it’s the weirdest and least-known Marvel property adapted into a movie so far. Gunn says:

“Maybe it’s a risk, I dunno,” Gunn tells the British magazine. “I think every movie Marvel’s made has been a risk and they’re risks that pay off really big. So I hope for the movie’s sake, and my sake, that this one pays off. The story’s really good and Marvel really knows what they’re doing.”

Actor Chris Pratt describes Guardians of the Galaxy as a memorable space adventure in the vein of Star Wars and Galaxy Quest. While the film’s central plot is still under wraps, there are hints that it will take place mostly in outer space, rather than lingering on Earth. Pratt added, “It’s not as broad as Galaxy Quest but it’s not a straightforward space fantasy like Star Wars. I think it’s the sort of the best of both of those films put together…and more!”

Empire’s article on Guardians of the Galaxy reveals that the film will find Quill, aka Star-Lord, in jail, and the rest of the team bands together to help him escape. They later “go after a treasure that they all want for different reasons.” According to Gunn, “Our characters are basically all villains to begin with. They don’t believe they’re individually good and they don’t believe each other is good, and through the course of the movie they discover they’re heroes. If The Avengers are The Beatles, these guys are The Rolling Stones.”

It’s believed that the “treasure” in question will be one of the Infinity Gems teased at the end of Thor: The Dark World. In the film’s post-credits sequence, Volstagg and Sif of the Warriors Three bring The Collector the Aether, which is believed to be the Red Infinity “Power” Gem. It’s also believed that the Guardians of the Galaxy will pursue this Infinity Gem to keep away it from The Collector and Thanos, who is trying to construct the Infinity Gauntlet made up of the six Infinity Gems (Space, Mind, Soul, Reality, Time, and Power).

The new Marvel movie also stars Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Benicio del Toro, Lee Pace, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, Michael Rooker, Olivia Lovibond, John C. Reilly, and Glenn Close.

Guardians of the Galaxy hits theaters everywhere on August 1, 2014, in 3D.