'guardians' Blasts Marvel In A Different Direction

(AP) — Despite its flawless superhero pedigree, there's always been apprehension about "Guardians of the Galaxy." Since the president of Marvel Studios first teased the possibility of making a movie based on the comic book about a team of intergalactic do-gooders, the proposition has been called risky — by critics, by fans and by Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige himself. While the ensemble cosmic romp bears similarities to the superhero mash-up "The Avengers," which earned more than $1.5 billion worldwide, "Guardians" features more obscure characters from the Marvel mythos and — other than a prologue chronicling the moment Chris Pratt's young Peter Quill is plucked from Earth — is set entirely in space. Unlike 2012's "Avengers," which relied on five decades of superhero history and five films to build up its team, Gunn was tasked with not only adapting a comic series that's only a few years old but also establishing comradery among a band of interstellar rebels that includes a lippy raccoon voiced by Bradley Cooper and a burly alien portrayed by wrestler Dave Bautista. The movie's only connections to Marvel's greater cinematic universe are a more detailed look at the all-powerful Infinity Stones, as well as appearances by Thanos, the ginormous alien baddie glimpsed at the end of "Avengers." Gunn had to fight for the brief inclusion of the latter, who was originally envisioned as the film's main villain in a draft by co-writer Nicole Perlman. Admittedly, Thanos was a giant pain in the (expletive) because I had to talk with ("Avengers" writer-director) Joss Whedon and those guys.