History of Guardians of the Galaxy (film) in Timeline
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) is a Marvel Cinematic Universe film directed by James Gunn. Peter Quill, a human raised by space pirates, steals a powerful artifact and finds himself hunted by the ruthless Ronan the Accuser. He reluctantly teams up with a group of misfit criminals: Gamora, a deadly assassin; Drax the Destroyer, a revenge-driven warrior; Rocket, a genetically engineered raccoon; and Groot, a tree-like humanoid. Together, they must overcome their differences to protect the galaxy from Ronan's destructive plans and the artifact's immense power.
1967: The Dirty Dozen as a Reference
In 1967, James Gunn used the film The Dirty Dozen as a reference to convey his ideas of the film to Marvel.
1981: Reference to Raiders of the Lost Ark
In 2014, Total Film noted the similarity of the Guardians of the Galaxy trailer's opening clip to the 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark, which Gunn stated was a big influence for Guardians.
1988: Peter Quill Abducted by the Ravagers
In 1988, following his mother's death, the child Peter Quill is abducted from Earth by the Ravagers.
2000: Feige Notes Film Similar to X-Men
In 2000, Feige stated that should the film be made, it would feature an ensemble of characters, similar to X-Men.
2003: First Cassette Release Since 2003
In 2014, the release of the Awesome Mix Vol. 1 cassette marked the first cassette release by Disney Music Group since 2003.
2009: Nicole Perlman Started Working on the Screenplay
In 2009, Nicole Perlman began working on the screenplay for Guardians of the Galaxy.
2009: Perlman Enrolled in Marvel's Screenwriting Program
In 2009, Nicole Perlman, enrolled in Marvel's screenwriting program, chose Guardians of the Galaxy to base a screenplay on.
2010: Kevin Feige Mentions Guardians of the Galaxy at San Diego Comic-Con
At the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige first mentioned Guardians of the Galaxy as a potential film, noting its revamp in the comic book.
2010: Marvel Publicly Mentioned Guardians of the Galaxy as a Potential Film
In 2010, Kevin Feige publicly mentioned Guardians of the Galaxy as a potential film.
September 2011: Feige Reiterates Sentiment in Entertainment Weekly
In a September 2011 issue of Entertainment Weekly, Kevin Feige reiterated that there was an opportunity to do a big space epic with Guardians of the Galaxy.
2011: Perlman Wrote 10 Drafts
Between 2009 and 2011, Nicole Perlman wrote 10 drafts, experimenting with different character combinations for the Guardians of the Galaxy team.
June 2012: Trademark Applications Filed
In June 2012, Marvel filed eleven trademark applications for Guardians of the Galaxy, covering consumer products like video games and cosmetics.
July 2012: Marvel Announced Active Development at San Diego Comic-Con
In July 2012, Marvel Studios announced that Guardians of the Galaxy was in active development at the San Diego Comic-Con.
August 2012: James Gunn Entered Talks to Direct
In August 2012, James Gunn entered talks to direct the film, beating out other contenders.
August 2012: Chris McCoy Hired to Rewrite Perlman's Script
In August 2012, Marvel Studios hired writer Chris McCoy to rewrite Nicole Perlman's script for Guardians of the Galaxy, though he was not credited in the final film.
September 2012: Gunn Signed on to Direct and Rewrite the Script
In September 2012, James Gunn confirmed that he had signed on to direct the film and rewrite the script for Guardians of the Galaxy.
2012: Alexis Denisof Reprises Role as "the Other" From The Avengers
In 2012, Alexis Denisof reprised his role as Thanos' vizier, "the Other", from The Avengers.
2012: Feige Notes Film Similar to The Avengers
In 2012, Feige stated that should the film be made, it would feature an ensemble of characters, similar to The Avengers.
2012: Gunn Brought In To Contribute to the Script
In early 2012, James Gunn was brought in to contribute to the script, eventually rewriting it entirely.
January 2013: Filming Scheduled at Shepperton Studios
In January 2013, filming for Guardians of the Galaxy was scheduled to take place at Shepperton Studios in London, and Marvel Studios announced that the film would be released in 3D.
February 2013: Chris Pratt Cast as Peter Quill
In February 2013, Chris Pratt was cast in the role of Peter Quill as part of a multi-film deal with Marvel.
February 2013: Chris Pratt Hired to Play Star-Lord
In February 2013, Chris Pratt was hired to play Peter Quill / Star-Lord, and the supporting cast members were subsequently confirmed.
March 2013: Feige Discusses Guardians of the Galaxy in Relation to the MCU
In March 2013, Kevin Feige discussed Guardians of the Galaxy in relation to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, saying it was more of a standalone film taking place in the same universe.
April 2013: Zoe Saldaña Cast as Gamora
In April 2013, Zoe Saldaña entered into negotiations to star as Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy and was later confirmed for the role. Michael Rooker also joined the cast as Yondu Udonta, and Ophelia Lovibond was cast in a supporting role.
June 2013: Benicio del Toro Cast
By June 2013, Benicio del Toro was cast in Guardians of the Galaxy, as part of a multi-film deal with Marvel Studios, and John C. Reilly was confirmed as Rhomann Dey.
July 2013: Footage Presentation at San Diego Comic-Con
In July 2013, footage for Guardians of the Galaxy was first revealed at San Diego Comic-Con.
August 2013: Tyler Bates to Compose Score
In August 2013, James Gunn announced that Tyler Bates would be composing the film's score for Guardians of the Galaxy.
August 2013: Footage Presented at D23 Expo
In August 2013, Kevin Feige presented footage for Guardians of the Galaxy at Disney's D23 Expo, which was first revealed at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2013.
August 2013: Bradley Cooper Cast as Rocket
In August 2013, Marvel officially announced that Bradley Cooper would be the voice actor for the character Rocket in Guardians of the Galaxy.
September 3, 2013: Filming Progress Update
On September 3, 2013, James Gunn announced that filming for Guardians of the Galaxy was "a little over half" complete.
October 12, 2013: Filming Completion Announcement
On October 12, 2013, director James Gunn announced via social media that filming for Guardians of the Galaxy had officially wrapped up.
November 2013: Gunn discusses practical and CGI effects
In November 2013, James Gunn discussed the effort to use practical effects as much as possible during filming in order to aid the use of CGI and motion capture during post-production.
December 2013: Vin Diesel confirmed as Groot
In December 2013, Marvel officially confirmed that Vin Diesel would be providing the voice for the character Groot in Guardians of the Galaxy.
February 2014: Inclusion of 1960s and 1970s songs
In February 2014, James Gunn revealed that the film would feature songs from the 1960s and 1970s, such as "Hooked on a Feeling", on a mixtape in Quill's Walkman to connect him to Earth.
February 18, 2014: First Trailer Debuts on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
On February 18, 2014, the first trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy premiered on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, with an introduction by Chris Pratt. The trailer received 22.8 million views in the first 24 hours.
March 2014: Kree introduced in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
In March 2014, the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episode "T.A.H.I.T.I." introduced the Kree race to the MCU, starting a storyline involving finding a hidden Kree city.
March 2014: Additional filming at Walt Disney Studios
In March 2014, the main cast and crew of Guardians of the Galaxy participated in a few weeks of additional filming at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California.
April 2014: Thanos as the "head of the snake"
In April 2014, James Gunn described Thanos as the "head of the snake" in Guardians of the Galaxy, confirming that Thanos would appear via performance capture in the film.
April 2014: Comic Prelude Release
Starting in April 2014, Marvel released a two-part comic titled Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Prelude, written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, focusing on Nebula's background and Rocket and Groot's adventures.
May 2014: Music as Cultural Reference Points
In May 2014, James Gunn discussed using the 1960s and 1970s songs as "cultural reference points" to balance the film's uniqueness with accessibility, and to remind the audience that Quill is a real person from Earth.
May 2014: Introduction of Minor Characters
In May 2014, James Gunn stated that the film features an "enormous" amount of smaller and minor characters from the Marvel Universe. Costume supervisor Dan Grace added that the film visits five planets and shows a hundred different races.
June 2014: Merchandise Release
In June 2014, Disney Consumer Products partnered with various companies to produce Guardians of the Galaxy merchandise, including T-shirts, jackets, headwear, toys, costumes, collectibles, character speakers, bobbleheads, apparel, backpacks, and stationery.
June 2014: James Gunn Discusses 3D Conversion
In June 2014, James Gunn stated that Guardians of the Galaxy was always planned as a 3D film. He was actively involved in converting every shot to 3D. Gunn ensured it worked perfectly for the story and the film.
June 2014: Thanos connects to future Avengers films
In June 2014, Kevin Feige added that Thanos and his followers are "the biggest piece of connective tissue that will eventually lead us back into Avengers films in the future".
June 2014: Marketing Approach Described
In June 2014, Mike Pasciullo, senior VP of Marvel Studios, described the marketing approach for Guardians of the Galaxy as a robust program integrating traditional advertising, social media, digital marketing, strategic partnerships, entertainment integrations, and publicity.
July 4, 2014: Sneak Peek at Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios
Beginning on July 4, 2014, a sneak peek of Guardians of the Galaxy was presented at Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios.
July 7, 2014: Post-production Completed
On July 7, 2014, the post-production phase for Guardians of the Galaxy was completed.
July 12, 2014: Promotion in Singapore
On July 12, 2014, James Gunn and the actors promoted Guardians of the Galaxy at the Lido 8 Cineplex in Singapore.
July 2014: "Galaxy Getaways" Campaign Launch
In July 2014, Marvel launched "Galaxy Getaways", a viral marketing campaign featuring a fictional travel website allowing users to book passage to planets from the film like Xandar, Morag, and Knowhere.
July 2014: Gunn Reveals Cut Scenes
In July 2014, director James Gunn revealed multiple scenes were cut from the film, Guardians of the Galaxy. He considered releasing them in an extended cut or as bonus features.
July 17, 2014: Video Game Release
On July 17, 2014, Disney Interactive released Guardians of the Galaxy: The Universal Weapon, an action RPG video game for iOS, Android, and Windows devices. The game's story was written by Dan Abnett to complement the film.
July 21, 2014: Guardians of the Galaxy Premiered in Hollywood
On July 21, 2014, Guardians of the Galaxy premiered at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles.
July 29, 2014: Soundtrack Release
On July 29, 2014, Hollywood Records released three albums: Guardians of the Galaxy (Original Score) featuring the music by Tyler Bates, Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) with songs from Quill's mixtape, and a deluxe edition featuring both albums.
July 31, 2014: Guardians of the Galaxy Theatrical Release in the UK
On July 31, 2014, Guardians of the Galaxy was released theatrically in the United Kingdom. This release preceded the United States release by one day.
August 1, 2014: Intended Release Date
August 1, 2014, was intended to be the release date of the film, as announced by Feige.
October 2014: Replica of Dancing Groot Announced
In October 2014, Marvel and KID designs announced a replica of dancing Groot, set to be released in December 2014.
November 18, 2014: Digital Download Release
On November 18, 2014, Guardians of the Galaxy was released for digital download by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.
November 24, 2014: Blu-ray and DVD Release in the UK
On November 24, 2014, Guardians of the Galaxy was released on Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, and DVD in the United Kingdom. These releases included behind-the-scenes featurettes, audio commentary, deleted scenes, a blooper reel, and a preview of Avengers: Age of Ultron.
November 28, 2014: Cassette version of Awesome Mix Vol. 1 released
On November 28, 2014, Hollywood Records released a cassette version of the Awesome Mix Vol. 1 soundtrack as an exclusive for Record Store Day participants. The cassette included a digital download version of the album.
December 2014: Disney's Marketing Push and Merchandise Release
In December 2014, Disney launched a second marketing push, coinciding with the home media release of Guardians of the Galaxy. This included a wide range of merchandise from partners like KID designs (replica dancing Groot), Funko (plush Rocket), Mattel (Hot Wheels character cars), C-Life, Hybrid-Jem Sportswear, Freeze, MZ Berger, Accutime, AME and Her Universe (apparel), ThinkGeek (jewelry and watches), American Greetings (cards), Jay Franco (homegoods), and Vandor (drinkware).
December 2014: Dancing Groot Replica Release
In December 2014, the replica of Dancing Groot, announced by Marvel and KID designs in October 2014, was released.
2014: Release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1
In 2014, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1, an American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name, was released. The film, directed by James Gunn, features Peter Quill and a group of extraterrestrial criminals on the run after stealing a powerful artifact.
2014: Guardians of the Galaxy Box Office Success
In 2014, Guardians of the Galaxy grossed $773.3 million worldwide. It became the third-highest-grossing film in the MCU. Deadline Hollywood calculated the film's net profit as $204.2 million.
2014: Record-Breaking Opening
In 2014, Guardians of the Galaxy set a record for the biggest Thursday evening start for a movie. The film earned $94.3 million during its opening weekend, setting an August weekend record.
2014: Box Office Performance
In 2014, Guardians of the Galaxy was number one in its fourth, fifth, and sixth weekends. It remained in the top 10 for ten weekends.
2014: Summer Box Office Success
In 2014, Guardians of the Galaxy was the top-grossing film of the summer. It was the first film of 2014 to pass $300 million for its domestic gross.
2014: Quill Steals the Orb on Morag
In 2014, on the planet Morag, Peter Quill steals a mysterious Orb, leading to conflicts with Ronan's henchmen and Yondu's bounty hunters.
January 2015: Final budget revealed
In January 2015, Disney revealed the final budget for the film came in "slightly over the agreed budget" at $232.3 million, with Disney receiving a rebate of $36.4 million from the British government.
October 4, 2015: Home Media Sales Update
As of October 4, 2015, Guardians of the Galaxy had earned over $118 million in sales in the United States from its home media release.
December 8, 2015: Inclusion in 'Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Two Collection'
On December 8, 2015, Guardians of the Galaxy was included in the 13-disc box set titled "Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Two Collection", which included all of the Phase Two films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
2015: Everest Filming
In 2015, Josh Brolin was filming Everest when Marvel Studios approached him to play Thanos with information about the character.
2015: Joss Whedon Consulted on Films Leading Up To The Avengers Sequel
In 2015, Joss Whedon signed a deal to creatively consult on all of the films leading up to The Avengers sequel.
May 5, 2017: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Release
On May 5, 2017, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was released, written and directed by James Gunn.
2017: Release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
In 2017, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was released as a sequel to the first film.
2018: Avengers: Infinity War
In 2018, Subsequent MCU filmmakers involved in the long-planned story of Avengers: Infinity War based themselves on Gunn's backstory for the Stones.
November 25, 2022: The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special Release
On November 25, 2022, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special was released on Disney+.
May 5, 2023: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Release
On May 5, 2023, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was released, with James Gunn returning to write and direct.
2023: Release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
In 2023, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was released as the third film in the series.
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