LOS ANGELES – Chris Pratt knows Marvel fans fell in love with the Guardians of the Galaxy after they first got acquainted with his intergalactic gang of misfits in 2014.

But when they get a chance to catch up with Star-Lord/Peter Quill (Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista), Rocket Raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper) and Baby Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel) in this week’s Vol. 2, he promises it’s going to be true love.

“You fall in love with the characters in the first movie, but this is true love because it’s tested,” he tells the Sun over coffee in a West Hollywood hotel.

“It’s like when you see a romantic comedy. It always ends with the people deciding they’re going to get married. But that’s destination thinking — that’s saying marriage is the destination. It’s like saying, ‘Once you’re married, you’re good to go.’ And there’s nothing further from the truth — that’s when the work starts. You have to test yourself to see if this is real true love. And with these characters, you realize it’s real love. You experience that. Hopefully fans will figure that out by watching the Guardians engage in really deep interpersonal connections and relationships. There are sibling relationships, father-son relationships; it’s these interpersonal journeys that are testing. That’s why this movie is so deep.”

He pauses and then adds: “And, we didn’t have to spend a ton of time telling you who these characters are — you already know. So we have three solid acts to just tell the story.”

Written and directed by James Gunn, Vol. 2 finds the Guardians on the run from an obnoxious race of gold-plated aliens when Star-Lord’s dad Ego, the planet (Kurt Russell), swoops in to save the day and invite his baby boy to help him rule the universe.

Star-Lord is also still making peace with his pseudo dad Yondu (Michael Rooker), who kidnapped him from Earth as a child and turned him into a criminal, while Gamora and Nebula (Karen Gillan) have sister issues they, er, need to work out.

And then there’s Star Lord’s own parental responsibilities with Baby Groot.

“It’s a deep motion picture and something different,” Pratt says. “Even learning the reality of Peter Quill’s biological father; that’s a complex character and a huge emotional journey he goes on.”

Pratt says that the themes of wanting to be part of a family is “universal,” but adds that his character’s relationship with Baby Groot is one that will have lasting resonance as the Guardians continue on in the upcoming Avengers sequels and the conclusion of their own trilogy in Gunn’s planned Vol. 3.

“When (Groot) climbs up on Quill’s lap in the end and asks for the music and I’m listening to (Cat Stevens’ Father and Son) and I’m reflecting on the relationship I had with the man who raised me, it’s in that moment I realize that I’ve now entered a chapter in my life where I’m going to be the man who’s raising somebody. ... I think that’s the sort of journey that every parent will take when they have a kid, and I think Quill gets to that at the end.”

In an earlier interview, Pratt told the Sun that Guardians 2 would be “the biggest spectacle movie of all time,” but he wants to change that slightly.

“I was using James’ vernacular by calling Vol. 2 the biggest spectacle of all time,” Pratt says. “I heard him say that and I thought, ‘That sounds right.’

“But I have to amend that. I think this sequel transcends the genre in a way. There’s a difference between dime-store novels and literature and this is like literature. It’s going to stand the test of time. It’s maybe this decade’s movie, if not a longer period of time.”

Twitter: @markhdaniell

MDaniell@postmedia.com

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CHOOSING MARVEL’S BEST

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 marks the 15th entry in Marvel’s Cinematic Universe. And between now and 2020 there will be 10-plus additional titles, including Spider-Man: Homecoming (July 7); Thor: Ragnarok (Nov. 3); Black Panther (Feb. 16, 2018) and Avengers: Infinity War (May 4, 2018). “Where we go after Avengers; what those 2020 films are, we’re pretty sure what those are going to be... if I tell you what those are, we’re getting into spoilers,” Marvel Studio boss Kevin Feige tells the Sun.

But we’re always curious which Marvel movies, personalities from the MCU love the best, so we asked. Here are some of the best responses.

“Oh, it’s Guardians of the Galaxy 1 and 2, hands down. It is, no doubt. And then after that it's Guardians 1, again.” – Chris Pratt

“These are beautiful movies. Pratt chose Guardians 1 two times? I would chose 1 and 2. But if I was going to choose something other than Guardians, I like (Captain America) The Winter Soldier. I love the fight scenes, I thought the fight scenes were just marvelous and I just dug it.” – Michael Rooker

“I can’t judge my own movies objectively. I love my own movies way more. But outside of my own, it’s definitely Iron Man. I think what (director) Jon (Favreau) did with that movie and Robert (Downey Jr.) did with that character was unprecedented and set everything up for what we were able to do. I’m really grateful to them for that. I think that movie is far too often overlooked when people talk about what the best movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is. They created this whole thing. When I walked out of the theatre, it was the one I was most excited about.” – James Gunn

“I loved Iron Man. They’re all great, but Iron Man was where it kicked off, so I’m a big fan of Robert Downey’s Iron Man.” – Doctor Strange’s Rachel McAdams

“Galaxy in some ways is the best Marvel movie ever. And it’s odd for someone with — on occasion — an ego the size of mine to actually say that! It’s like you have a great quarterback, and his brother plays for another team, and then you say: ‘Look, this is their second cousin and we think he has a great arm and he should start.’ And then he goes and wins the Superbowl!” – Robert Downey Jr.

“Hands down, Guardians of the Galaxy!” – Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson

-Mark Daniell