History of Guardians of the Galaxy (film) in Timeline
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) is a Marvel Cinematic Universe film about Peter Quill, a human raised by space pirates, who steals a powerful artifact. He teams up with a group of misfit extraterrestrial criminals: Gamora, Drax, Rocket Raccoon, and Groot. Pursued by Ronan the Accuser, a powerful Kree fanatic seeking to use the orb for destruction, the unlikely team must overcome their differences and work together to protect the galaxy. The film focuses on their journey to becoming the Guardians of the Galaxy and saving the universe from Ronan's genocidal plans.
1967: The Dirty Dozen Used as Reference
In 1967, the film The Dirty Dozen was released.
1988: Peter Quill Abducted by the Ravagers
In 1988, Peter Quill, as a child, was abducted from Earth by the Ravagers after his mother's death.
2000: Feige compares Guardians to X-Men
In 2000, Feige compared Guardians of the Galaxy to the ensemble cast of X-Men.
2009: Nicole Perlman Enrolled in Marvel's Screenwriting Program
In 2009, Nicole Perlman enrolled in Marvel's screenwriting program and was offered several of their lesser-known properties to base a screenplay on.
2009: Nicole Perlman Began Writing the Screenplay
In 2009, Nicole Perlman started working on the screenplay for Guardians of the Galaxy.
2010: Kevin Feige First Mentions Guardians of the Galaxy as Potential Film
At the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige first mentioned Guardians of the Galaxy as a potential film, noting the comic's recent revamp.
2010: First Public Mention of Guardians of the Galaxy Film
In 2010, producer Kevin Feige first publicly mentioned Guardians of the Galaxy as a potential film.
September 2011: Feige Talks About Space Epic Opportunity
In September 2011, Kevin Feige spoke about the opportunity to create a big space epic with Guardians of the Galaxy, hinting at the cosmic side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
2011: Perlman Wrote 10 Drafts of the Screenplay
Between 2009 and 2011, Nicole Perlman wrote 10 drafts of the Guardians of the Galaxy screenplay, experimenting with different character combinations.
June 2012: Trademark Applications
In June 2012, Marvel filed eleven trademark applications for Guardians of the Galaxy, covering consumer products ranging from video games to cosmetics.
July 2012: Guardians of the Galaxy Announced at San Diego Comic-Con
In July 2012, Marvel Studios announced the active development of Guardians of the Galaxy at the San Diego Comic-Con.
August 2012: James Gunn Enters Talks to Direct
In August 2012, James Gunn entered talks to direct Guardians of the Galaxy, 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: James Gunn Signed on to Direct and Rewrite
In September 2012, James Gunn confirmed that he had signed on to direct the film and rewrite the script.
2012: Alexis Denisof Reprises Role as "The Other" in Guardians of the Galaxy
In 2012, Alexis Denisof reprised his role as Thanos' vizier, "the Other", from The Avengers in Guardians of the Galaxy.
2012: Feige compares Guardians to The Avengers
In 2012, Feige compared Guardians of the Galaxy to the ensemble cast of The Avengers.
2012: James Gunn Brought in to Contribute to the Script
In early 2012, James Gunn was brought in to contribute to the Guardians of the Galaxy script, eventually rewriting it entirely.
February 2013: Chris Pratt Cast as Star-Lord
In February 2013, Chris Pratt was hired to play Peter Quill / Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy, with supporting cast members confirmed afterwards.
March 2013: Guardians of the Galaxy Set as a Standalone Film
In March 2013, Kevin Feige discussed Guardians of the Galaxy in relation to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, stating it would be more of a standalone film primarily set in space.
April 2013: Zoe Saldaña Cast as Gamora
In early April 2013, Zoe Saldaña entered negotiations to star as Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy, with her casting confirmed later that month. Michael Rooker joined as Yondu Udonta, and Ophelia Lovibond was cast in a supporting role.
June 2013: Benicio del Toro Joins the 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.
August 2013: D23 Expo Footage Presentation
At Disney's D23 Expo in August 2013, Kevin Feige presented footage from Guardians of the Galaxy that had been initially revealed at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2013.
August 2013: Bradley Cooper cast as voice of Rocket
In August 2013, Marvel announced that Bradley Cooper would provide the voice for the character Rocket in Guardians of the Galaxy.
August 2013: Tyler Bates to Compose Score
In August 2013, it was revealed that Tyler Bates would be composing the film score for Guardians of the Galaxy, with Bates writing some of the score before filming began to influence the scenes.
September 3, 2013: Filming Progress Update
On September 3, 2013, director James Gunn announced that filming for Guardians of the Galaxy was "a little over half[way]" 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: Practical Effects and Infinity Stones
In November 2013, James Gunn emphasized the use of practical effects in filming to complement CGI. Also, after the release of Thor: The Dark World, Kevin Feige announced that the Infinity Stones would be a focus in Guardians of the Galaxy and future MCU films.
December 2013: Vin Diesel Confirmed as Groot
In December 2013, Marvel officially confirmed that Vin Diesel would be the voice actor for Groot in Guardians of the Galaxy.
February 2014: Soundtrack Includes 1960s and 1970s Songs
In February 2014, James Gunn revealed that the Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack would include songs from the 1960s and 1970s, such as "Hooked on a Feeling", on a mixtape in Quill's Walkman, representing his connection to Earth.
February 18, 2014: First Trailer Debuts
The first trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy was launched on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on February 18, 2014, with an introduction by Chris Pratt, receiving 22.8 million views in 24 hours. Blue Swede's "Hooked on a Feeling" sales increased by 700% following the trailer's release.
March 2014: Additional Filming
In March 2014, additional filming for Guardians of the Galaxy took place at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, involving the main cast and crew.
March 2014: Kree Introduced to MCU 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 Marvel Cinematic Universe, which began a storyline related to a hidden Kree city. Also in March, ABC aired a special titled, Marvel Studios: Assembling a Universe, which included a sneak peek of Guardians of the Galaxy.
April 2014: Thanos as the 'Head of the Snake'
In April 2014, director James Gunn described Thanos as the "head of the snake" in Guardians of the Galaxy and confirmed that Thanos would appear in the film via performance capture.
April 2014: Guardians of the Galaxy Prelude Comic Released
Starting in April 2014, Marvel released a two-part comic, titled Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Prelude. The first issue focused on Nebula's background and her bond with Thanos. The second issue featured Rocket and Groot's adventures before joining the Guardians.
May 2014: Cultural Reference Points with Music
In May 2014, James Gunn added that the songs from the 1960s and 1970s served as "cultural reference points" to remind the audience that Quill is a real person from Earth in an outer space adventure.
May 2014: Numerous Characters from Marvel Universe
In May 2014, James Gunn stated that Guardians of the Galaxy featured an "enormous" amount of smaller and minor characters from the Marvel Universe, making it the film with the most characters overall in any Marvel Studios film to date.
June 2014: Merchandise Production and Partnerships
In June 2014, Disney Consumer Products partnered with numerous companies like Mad Engine, C-Life, New Era, Hasbro, Disguise, Rubies, Sideshow Collectibles, Lego, KIDdesigns, iHome, Funko, Freeze, Fast Forward, and Innovative Designs to produce Guardians of the Galaxy merchandise.
June 2014: 3D Film Conversion Involvement
In June 2014, James Gunn stated that Guardians of the Galaxy had always been planned as a 3D film, and that he was actively involved with converting every shot to 3D.
June 2014: Thanos Connective Tissue
In June 2014, Kevin Feige stated that Thanos and his followers were the "biggest piece of connective tissue that will eventually lead us back into Avengers films in the future."
June 2014: Marketing Approach
In June 2014, Mike Pasciullo from Marvel Studios described the marketing approach for Guardians of the Galaxy, emphasizing a comprehensive strategy that integrates traditional advertising, social media, digital marketing, promotional partnerships, entertainment integrations, and publicity.
July 4, 2014: Sneak Peek at Disney Parks
Beginning July 4, 2014, a sneak peek of Guardians of the Galaxy was presented at Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios in the Magic Eye and ABC Sound Studio theaters, respectively.
July 7, 2014: Guardians of the Galaxy Post-Production Completed
On July 7, 2014, post-production for Guardians of the Galaxy was completed, marking the final stage before the film's release.
July 12, 2014: Guardians of the Galaxy Promotion in Singapore
On July 12, 2014, James Gunn and the actors from the film promoted Guardians of the Galaxy at the Lido 8 Cineplex in Singapore.
July 2014: "Galaxy Getaways" Campaign
In July 2014, Marvel launched a viral marketing campaign for the film called "Galaxy Getaways", a fictional travel website allowing users to book trips to planets featured in Guardians of the Galaxy, such as Xandar, Morag, and Knowhere.
July 2014: Cut Scenes and Potential Release
In July 2014, director James Gunn revealed that multiple scenes had been cut from Guardians of the Galaxy, and he was considering how to release them, either in an extended cut or as bonus features.
July 17, 2014: Guardians of the Galaxy: The Universal Weapon 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 original story was written by Dan Abnett and complemented the film.
July 21, 2014: Guardians of the Galaxy Premieres in Hollywood
On July 21, 2014, Guardians of the Galaxy premiered at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles.
July 29, 2014: Album Releases
On July 29, 2014, Hollywood Records released three albums for Guardians of the Galaxy: the film's score "Guardians of the Galaxy (Original Score)", "Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)", and a deluxe edition featuring both albums.
July 31, 2014: Guardians of the Galaxy Theatrical Release in the United Kingdom
On July 31, 2014, Guardians of the Galaxy was released theatrically in the United Kingdom.
August 1, 2014: Intended Release Date Announced
August 1, 2014 was announced as the intended release date during the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con.
October 2014: Replica Dancing Groot Announcement
In October 2014, Marvel and KID designs announced a replica of Dancing Groot, planned for release 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 and DVD in the United Kingdom.
November 28, 2014: Awesome Mix Vol. 1 Cassette Release
On November 28, 2014, Hollywood Records released a cassette version of the Awesome Mix Vol. 1 soundtrack as a Record Store Day exclusive, marking the first cassette release by Disney Music Group since 2003. The cassette included a digital download version of the album.
December 2014: Second Marketing Push and Merchandise
In December 2014, Disney initiated a second marketing push for Guardians of the Galaxy, coinciding with the film's home media release. This included partnerships with various merchandise companies, offering items such as a replica dancing Groot from KID designs, a plush Rocket from Funko's Fabrikations, Hot Wheels character cars from Mattel, apparel from C-Life, Hybrid-Jem Sportswear, and jewelry from ThinkGeek.
December 2014: Release of Replica Dancing Groot
In December 2014, Marvel and KID designs released a replica of Dancing Groot.
2014: Top-Grossing Film of Summer 2014
Guardians of the Galaxy was the top-grossing film of summer 2014, the first of 2014 to pass $300 million for its domestic gross, and was the third-highest-grossing domestic film of 2014.
2014: Box Office Records
In 2014, Guardians of the Galaxy earned $11.2 million on its Thursday night pre-opening, surpassing Captain America: The Winter Soldier. On its opening day, the film earned $37.8 million, and grossed $94.3 million during the opening weekend, setting an August weekend record.
2014: Guardians of the Galaxy Film Release
In 2014, Guardians of the Galaxy, later known as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1, was released as the 10th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film follows Peter Quill and a group of extraterrestrial criminals as they go on the run after stealing a powerful artifact.
2014: Box Office Performance in 2014
In 2014, after falling to second place in its second and third weekends, Guardians of the Galaxy was number one in its fourth, fifth, and sixth weekend, becoming the first film of the summer to be number one in three weekends and the first MCU film to be the top film for four weeks.
2014: Peter Quill Steals the Orb on Morag
In 2014, on the planet Morag, Peter Quill stole a mysterious Orb, leading to conflicts with Ronan the Accuser's henchmen and Gamora.
January 2015: Budget Revealed
In January 2015, Disney revealed that Guardians of the Galaxy's final budget was $232.3 million, exceeding the initial $170 million estimate, but Disney received a $36.4 million rebate from the British government.
October 4, 2015: Home Entertainment Sales
As of October 4, 2015, the film Guardians of the Galaxy earned over $118 million in sales in the US.
December 8, 2015: "Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Two Collection" Release
On December 8, 2015, Guardians of the Galaxy was included in the 13-disc box set, titled "Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Two Collection", which includes all of the Phase Two films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
2015: Avengers sequel released
In 2015, the sequel to The Avengers was released.
May 5, 2017: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Release
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was released on May 5, 2017, written and directed by James Gunn.
2017: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Released
In 2017, the sequel to Guardians of the Galaxy, titled Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, was released.
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
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was released on May 5, 2023, with James Gunn returning to write and direct.
2023: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Released
In 2023, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the third film in the series, was released.
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