James Gunn Wins Tuesday with ‘Guardians’ Holiday Special Trailer and Huge DC News

 

James Gunn has brought me much joy in my life. Both Guardians of the Galaxy films are treasured in my household – they’re the reason my wife and I chose “Hooked on a Feeling” as our wedding song – and I thoroughly enjoyed his DC projects, The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker. In fact, I made genuine attempts to learn the dance from the Peacemaker opening, and those would-be TikTok videos will forever remain in my Drafts.

But the world wasn’t exactly sure what to think of Gunn just a few years ago. He was fired by Marvel Studios when some unfortunate older tweets were resurfaced and circulated in the summer of 2018. The since-deleted posts were intentionally “edgy” and, as such, were not only in bad taste at the time but aged horrifically. 

Gunn’s Marvel ousting resulted in him being brought into the DC fold for the aforementioned Suicide Squad sequel/reboot, which made sense given Gunn’s affinity for heroic-but-not-always-morally-sound misfits. Additionally, though, Gunn and Marvel’s eventual reconciliation resulted in a third Guardians film and a holiday special. Gunn also continued to build on John Cena’s Peacemaker character with an outstanding HBO Max series. Rarely has a creator had his foot planted in both the MCU and DCEU, but Gunn has managed to do it. 

That all leads us to today, Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022, when Marvel Studios dropped an amazing trailer for The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special that gives us an aged-up (and buff?) Groot, a holiday adventure on Earth and “The Legendary” Kevin Bacon. While fans reveled in Drax and Mantis breaking into the Footloose star’s home as part of a kidnapping “Christmas present,” DC had a reveal of their own, as broken by The Hollywood Reporter: Gunn will serve as co-CEO of DC Studios alongside producer Peter Safran. They’ll be replacing former DC Films head Walter Hamada, who left the studio last week. Whether or not that has something to do with the chilly critical reception to Black Adam is anyone’s guess.

Given Gunn’s comedic sensibilities, I can imagine that him heading up creative for DC Studios has grimdark-favorable Zack Snyder fans foaming at the mouth (I’m sure there’s already a Twitter petition out there calling for his removal). And yet, on the heels of Henry Cavill formally announcing that he’s back as Superman with more projects to come, perhaps Gunn will be the person to bring DC’s film universe into the light … and keep it there.

Speaking of light, check out the trailer for Marvel Studios’ The Guardians of the Galaxy Christmas Special below!

Dancing Baby Groot Presents My Top 5 Flicks of 2014

Happy New Year, Wortmaniacs! 2014 was an incredible year for movie geeks and geeks in general, and although there were some disappointments along the way (Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, I'm looking at you), there was plenty to obsess about in the multiplex this year. As I wait to finally check out Birdman this evening, I thought I'd do a quick ranking of my favorite movies in 2014. Based on the Funko POP! Vinyl, pictured above, you probably already guessed which movie snagged my No. 1 spot, so let's start there ...

1) Guardians of the Galaxy
James Gunn's Marvel Universe space opera seemed to come out of nowhere last August, and now characters like Rocket Raccoon and Drax the Destroyer are right up there with Iron Man and the Hulk in most moviegoers' eyes. This film's got a ton of action, eye-popping visual effects, hilarious character moments and one of the best soundtracks in recent memory. If you don't already own Guardians of the Galaxy, you should.

2) Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Wow. The Russo brothers' Captain America sequel is not only a solid addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but a tightly paced thriller in its own right. Awesome fight sequences and a surprising amount of practical visual effects work cement this film as one of Marvel's best, and Chris Evans continues to grow and evolve as Steve Rogers.

3) St. Vincent
I didn't think a Bill Murray movie would make me cry, but here we are. This dramatic dark comedy, written and directed by Theodore Melfi, has some laughs for sure, but it's the heartstring-tugging performances by Murray, Jaeden Lieberher, Naomi Watts and Melissa McCarthy that make this one of 2014's most memorable films. And trust me: Bring some tissues for the ending.

4) The Lego Movie
What at first appears to be a cash grab turns out to be the year's most original and well-intentioned family comedy, bringing forward the message that it's okay to be different and that, sometimes, "following the instructions" isn't always the best route. Also, who would have thought that Will Arnett would be an amazing Batman?

5) X-Men: Days of Future Past
Fourteen years after kicking off the X-Men movie franchise, Bryan Singer returns to the series to clean up the mess that it's become since he left, and the end result is pretty spectacular. The film is by no means a faithful adaptation of the iconic Chris Claremont and John Byrne comic book story, but it's a fun time travel adventure and a fantastic follow-up to 2011's X-Men: First Class. This is how you fix a broken franchise.

How to Say 'I Am Groot' in 15 Languages

You guys, not only is Guardians of the Galaxy now available on Digital HD (it hits Blu-ray Dec. 9), but Marvel has released a video teaching us all how to say the best catchphrase of the year in 15 different languages. It's slick and, like the movie itself, it's a lot of fun. Enjoy Groot going all international on your ears for nearly two minutes straight. Io sono Groot!

Marvel Just Won At Everything

Even though it's not quite Halloween just yet, DC Entertainment must be absolutely terrified right about now.

In a fan event Tuesday, Marvel Studios unveiled Phase 3 of its Marvel Cinematic Universe, announcing a mind-boggling slate of movies through 2019. The expansive lineup includes Thor: Ragnarok, Captain America: Civil War, Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Dr. Strange, Captain Marvel, Black Panther, The Inhumans and a two-part Avengers sequel, Infinity War. 

Hearing about any one of these projects would be reason to celebrate, but Marvel Studios has gone ahead and dropped all of the nerd bombs in its arsenal, all at once. We're not just fortunate, True Believers. We're spoiled.

For all of the latest on The House of Ideas' blockbuster announcements, head over to Marvel.com.

Marvel Legends Groot Build-A-Figure Completed!

On 'TMNT,' Shark Week and Dancing Trees

Free time's been a rare commodity for me this week, but since I found a few moments to lock myself in my nerd cave and babble on the blogosphere, here's what's been rattling around in my noggin:

• It's Shark Week on Discovery Channel, which used to be a big deal to me. However, the constant mixed messaging of the programming (sharks are characterized in equal measure as misunderstood creatures and bloodthirsty sea monsters), the abundance of faux-documentaries in lieu of factual content and the sheer number of shows that have to throw the word "jaws" into the title have turned me off. If you're going to throw science out the window, just give me a week of Street Sharks marathons, Discovery. 
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was better than I thought it might be, and I actually plan on seeing the already-announced sequel. There is definite room for improvement from a villain standpoint — Shredder was basically just Megatron with a knife fetish — but the characterization of the turtles themselves was surprisingly pretty good overall. Now, if we could only do something about those nostrils ... 
• SPOILERS AHOY! We're two weeks removed from the release of Guardians of the Galaxy, and people are still raving about the dancing abilities of a post-resurrection Groot grooving to the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back." Hell, I almost bought a life-sized replica off Etsy. In response to the fervor over everyone's favorite wooden warrior, Disney has released the talked-about sequence online, and it's just as amazing as it was the first time I saw it. Check it out below!

Warner Bros. Moves 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice' Release Date

Warner Bros. is running scared, and based on the stellar performance of Guardians of the Galaxy this past weekend, it's hard to blame them.

Even though the studio has just announced release dates for nine unnamed DC Comics films, the bigger news reported today by Variety is that Warner Bros. changed its May 6, 2016, release date for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice to March 25 of that year. As such, the Zack Snyder-helmed Man of Steel sequel is no longer going head-to-head with Marvel Studios' third Captain America film.

Now, I'll be the first to admit that I was intrigued by the Batman v Superman footage revealed at Comic-Con International last month, and I'm sure WB/DC have some heavy hitters lined up in their film slate. But the fact that Marvel Studios just made household names of characters like Ronan the Accuser and Yondu proves how far ahead The House of Ideas has gotten compared to its Distinguished Competition in the film arena. Clearly, based on this scheduling shift and the vague, knee-jerk nature of their "we have a bunch of movies coming up too!" announcement, WB knows it.

'Hooked on a Feeling': Why 'Guardians of the Galaxy' Soars

James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy is Marvel Studios’ most ambitious feature yet, marking the first time the Marvel Cinematic Universe has veered away from the core Avengers characters to tell an offbeat intergalactic yarn involving a talking raccoon, a sentient tree and The Runaways’ “Cherry Bomb.” It’s also the most fun you’re going to have in a theater this summer.

Guardians begins in a familiar Earth setting back in 1988, where a young Peter Quill sits outside his dying mother’s hospital bed as he tries to tune out the rest of the world with a Sony Walkman — arguably the film’s most central MacGuffin. After his mother dies just a few moments later, Peter flees the hospital and is abducted by space pirates led by the morally ambiguous Yondu (Michael Rooker). Fast forward a few years and we meet Peter as a grown man (Chris Pratt), who has become an intergalactic treasure hunter who goes by the self-ascribed moniker “Star-Lord.” He’s in search of a mysterious orb we later learn houses one of the Infinity Stones, powerful items that grant their bearer incredible destructive powers.  Collect the whole set and get a free gauntlet while supplies last!

Anyhow, Peter’s quest for the orb soon aligns him with an odd assemblage of characters, including Gamora (Zoe Saldana), the adopted daughter of the mad titan Thanos; Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista), a muscled warrior seeking to avenge his family; Rocket (Bradley Cooper), a quick-tempered, furry science experiment; and Groot (Vin Diesel), a tree creature with an extremely limited vocabulary. Once united, the rag-tag crew seeks to prevent the villainous Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace) from using the Infinity Stone for his own nefarious means.

This movie is goofy as hell, always embracing its own absurdity while somehow never crossing over into self-parody. Much of the fun throughout comes from the interaction between the incredibly strong ensemble cast — an impressive feat since two of the main characters are digital creations. Pratt’s Star-Lord is a swaggering, quick-witted Han Solo-type who clashes nicely with Saldana’s no-nonsense Gamora. Rocket and Groot will go down as one of modern cinema’s most memorable comedy parings, digital or otherwise, while Bautista’s surprisingly gets some of the movie’s biggest laughs as a naïve barbarian who just can’t wrap his head around metaphors.

There are visual thrills, sure, with harrowing space battles and elaborately staged shootouts. Yet, perhaps the best special effect in Guardians is its ability to be uproariously funny without being cynical or mean-spirited. In fact, this might even qualify as a “feel-good” movie. There, I said it.

Keen-eyed Marvel fans will notice plenty of Easter eggs throughout the film, including nods to the comic source material as well as previous Marvel Studios films. It goes without saying that you should stay through the end credits for what is, in my opinion, one of the best post-credits sequences of all time.

I’d love to be “that guy” and point out a few reasons why Guardians doesn’t live up to the hype, but I’m hard-pressed to recall any specific gripes about the film. It’s action-packed, it’s hilarious and it’s loaded with fan service while being inclusive of casual moviegoers. And yeah, I’m saying that about a movie starring a gun-toting raccoon. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger + Farts = This

It's been a long week ... and it's only Thursday. As we all anxiously wait to see James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy this weekend at least once, we're probably all in search of new ways to pass the time on the Internet. Look no further than Distractotron. If you like Conan the Barbarian, The Running Man and bodily functions, this is the video for you.

Rocket Moon Trio is My New Favorite Shirt

I don’t need T-shirts and I definitely don’t need more Marvel stuff. But how could I resist WeLoveFine’s amazing Rocket Raccoon-infused resurrection of the iconic “Three Wolf Moon” meme? Guardians of the Galaxy is still a couple of weeks out, but I have a strong feeling that Rocket is going to be one of the most iconic and quotable characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe this side of Tony Stark. Prepare for Rocket Raccoon everything this year.

You can snag the shirt here, and you can catch James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy in theaters August 1.

(via Topless Robot)

Groot and Rocket Raccoon Speak in New 'Guardians of the Galaxy' Trailer

Okay, Marvel. Now you're just showing off.

Guardians of the Galaxy, starring Chris Pratt Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper hits theaters August 1.

'Guardians of the Galaxy' Trailer Is Full of A-Holes

Hot on the heels of a pretty fantastic Toy Fair, the geek world is still grinnin’ after Marvel Studios dropped a massive bombshell in the form of the first-ever Guardians of the Galaxy trailer on Tuesday night. If you don’t already care about Rocket Raccoon, Groot or Star-Lord, you just might if you watch this.

For those keeping track, we’re getting an awesome Guardians of the Galaxy movie long before a Warner Bros. Wonder Woman flick. Just saying.
 

The Buy Pile for July 31, 2013

This week’s Wednesday comic book haul is comprised of a healthy mix of new and old, with a predominantly Marvel selection due to the fact that A) I really dug The Wolverine this past weekend and B) I recently got my hands on the Deadpool video game, which has reignited my interest in The Merc with a Mouth in a major way.

Along with two Marvel trade paperbacks, Deadpool vs. The Marvel Universe and Vol. 3 of Mark Waid’s outstanding Daredevil run, here’s what I’ll be thumbing through tonight:

• All-New X-Men #14 
• Uncanny X-Men #9 
• Guardians of the Galaxy #5 
• Daredevil #29 
• Hawkeye #12 
• Wolverine: In the Flesh (one-shot) 
• Batman Annual #2 
• Adventures of Superman #3

The Buy Pile for June 26, 2013

Damn, that’s a lot of books.

Despite the fact that I’ve been spending a lot less cash on comics these days, it was hard to resist parting with some greenbacks when I stepped into Stamford, Conn.’s A Timeless Journey this evening on the most nerdiest of occasions: New Comics Day. With the debut issues of DC’s Batman/Superman and Larfleeze hitting the racks along with the latest installments in Marvel’s hottest series, there’s a lot to be read, dissected and complained about on the Internet over the next few days.

Here’s what I snagged, bagged and boarded this week:

• Larfleeze #1 
• Batman/Superman #1 
• Justice League #21 
• Justice League of America #5 
• Batman: The Dark Knight #21 
• Deadpool #12 
• Guardians of the Galaxy #4 
• Nova #5
• All-New X-Men #13 
• X-Men #2

Speaking of things that make comic book geeks more excited than Wade Wilson in the back of a taco truck, Marvel has officially confirmed that Robert Downey Jr. will reprise the role of Tony Stark in the next two Avengers films! Concerns that Downey Jr. would abandon the armor after Iron Man 3 can officially be put to rest, making room for entirely new anxieties and rampant speculation about people from the funnybooks. Because that’s what we do.

Chris Pratt to Headline Marvel Studios’ ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’

Parks and Recreation star Chris Pratt — who recently played a Navy SEAL in Zero Dark Thirty — has been cast as Star-Lord in Marvel Studios’ upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy film, Deadline.com reports. The character will lead the unorthodox superhero team in this intergalactic expansion of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Guardians of the Galaxy, directed by James Gunn, is slated to hit theaters on Aug. 1, 2014. For the full story, click here.

‘Avengers’ Sequel Gets a Release Date

Marvel.com has confirmed that the Joss Whedon-helmed sequel to this summer’s blockbuster smash, Marvel’s The Avengers, will be hitting theaters on May 1, 2015.

The website also stated the following in the announcement:

“In addition to the Marvel's The Avengers sequel, Marvel Studios will release a slate of films based on the Marvel characters including Iron Man 3 on May 3, 2013; Thor: The Dark World on November 8, 2013; Captain America: The Winter Soldier on April 4, 2014; Guardians of the Galaxy on August 1, 2014; and Ant-Man.”

Looks like lots of cool Marvel Studios goodness is on the horizon. For more info on Marvel Studios’ upcoming crop of films, head over to Marvel.com.