Quite arguably Marvel Studios’ most offbeat property to date, James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy is now in the casting stage and today Deadline has learned of eight actors up for the role of Peter Quill, aka Star-Lord.

According to the site, the current list of names auditioning for the part includes Joel Edgerton (Zero Dark Thirty), Garrett Hedlund (TRON: Legacy), Jack Huston (“Boardwalk Empire”), James Marsden (X-Men), Lee Pace (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2), Eddie Redmayne (My Week with Marilyn), Jim Sturgess (Cloud Atlas) and Sullivan Stapleton (Animal Kingdom).

The Quill character is likely to be the central protagonist of the film. Raised on Earth, Quill learns that his father was from outer space and is drawn into an intergalactic conflict that eventually leads to him becoming the leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Also said to be on the movie team’s roster are the characters Drax the Destroyer, Groot, Rocket Racoon and Gamora. Check back for casting details on those roles as they emerge.

Guardians of the Galaxy is set for release on August 1, 2014.

(Photo Credit: Robert Wallace / Apega / Rob Rich / FayesVision / Ivan Nikolov / WENN.com)