In the latest issue of** Empire, Marvel head honcho Kevin Feige spoke exclusively about the studio's biggest gamble yet, Guardians Of The Galaxy. To whet your appetite, here are a few choice questions and answers.
But before you read what Feige had to say about the space comedy, be sure to read (or re-read) our reaction to the very-special-and-definitely-not-for-the-web GOTG footage seen at Comic-Con earlier this year here, as well as star(lord) Chris Pratt's recent words on the project here.
***Is this Marvel’s Star Wars? ***
"We’re not making this to make Marvel’s Star Wars. We’re doing this to explore the other side of the existing Marvel Universe. The fact that Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) is a human from our time, that he carries a personal cassette recorder with him, already it’s very different. It’s not a long, time ago in a galaxy far, far away, it’s now in a galaxy far, far away."
Does this take place at the same time as the other Phase Two movies?
"The general answer is yes. It’s not exactly revealed what year or month it is in relation to the other Phase Two films. But yes, it’s the same time."
***Is it more of a stand-alone film? ***
"Certainly more than the others. We’ve already said that Thanos plays a part in it and is a character in it. That in and of itself should tell you it’s connected to the other worlds."
***Is Thanos the main villain? ***
"Ronan The Accuser (Lee Pace) is very much the main bad guy. And Thanos is lurking above it all. You will learn more about Thanos in Guardians, for sure. Certainly you’ll get more than the one turn-around-and-smirk. You’ll get much more than that."
***Talk us through the Guardians. ***
"They are an unlikely band. It’s pure circumstance that brings them all together throughout the course of the movie.
"Rocket [Raccoon] has been genetically and mechanically altered, he’s an experiment from one part of the galaxy.
- "Groot is a species that happens to look like trees look, and is quite communicative if you can understand the different inflections in the way he says, 'I am Groot.'
- "Peter Quill left Earth in the mid-’80s, but when we meet back up with him he’s very much a citizen of the Universe.
- "Drax (Dave Bautista) has one goal and one goal only, which is to kill Ronan because of a past tragedy.
- "When we meet Gamora (Zoe Saldana), she’s a bad guy working with Ronan and Nebula (Karen Gillan) and Korath (Djimon Hounsou), and by extension for Thanos. Gamora doesn’t necessarily like doing that anymore, and tries to find a new path for herself. But she has such a reputation as the deadliest woman in the galaxy that people aren’t greeting her with open arms."
For more on both Guardians Of The Galaxy (out August 1, 2014) and superhero stablemate **Captain America: The Winter Soldier **(May 2, 2014), watch our Comic-Con red carpet interviews below and try not to fall into Chris Evans' dreamy eyes in the process.