Guardians of the Galaxy. You have to admit, it's very ambitious for Marvel/Disney to go forward with this movie. It might just be me, but it could be a harder sell for the non-comic book reading moviegoers. This is going to be a movie most likely not featuring any characters that are household names. The average person will not know who these guys are. They'll know it's part of the same movie universe as The Avengers but will that be enough of a sell? The fact that it's sci-fi puts it in another film genre.

The key will be the casting. Today it was announced that Marvel has a short list of actors for the lead role of Peter Quill, aka Star-Lord. According to Deadline, the actors on this list include Joel Edgerton (Dark Thirty), Jack Huston (Boardwalk Empire), Jim Sturgess (Cloud Atlas), Lee Pace (Lincoln and The Hobbit) and Eddie Redmayne (Les Miserables).

It's not clear if these are the only ones being considered. Personally, I'd love to see Jim Sturgess in the role based off this list.

Still not convinced this can work well as a live action movie, but I'm not writing it off yet.

Yo! Marvel I'll give ya a dollar if you cast Jack Huston. Think about it...

I'm not sure how this will turn out...I'll hold my thought until I see a trailer with some footage.

Nathan Fillion...that is all.

I'm far more interested in who will play Drax and Thanos, and who will voice the Raccoon.

I want this to be good...

As a Pushing Daisies fan, I'd have to say Lee Pace. Mostly just so he can be in stuff that is good and isn't Twilight!

I hope its good ! i hope its good !!!!

Holy shit, Lee Pace would be PEFECT. He's so talented, and badass enough to be the action guy. He was amazing in The Fall.

Nah needs Nathan Fillion for the Star Lord

I don't understand how Guardians of the Galaxy is a "hard" sell for non-comic book fans. Its a freaking sci-fi movie, those generally do very well in theaters. Unless that is you are Battlefield Earth and Jon Travolta is the bad guy.

@sweetesttoaster said:

Nathan Fillion...that is all.

Of those, I'd agree that Jim Sturgess is the best fit.

They should use a real raccoon for Rocket.

I just don't see why they are making this movie, but hell, go for it, guys.

Not hating by any means but I am surprised this property has been green-lit to be a movie. Guessing it will have a tie-in with Thanos and The Avengers, but that is just an assumption. Great characters but I agree with some posts, just a bit at odds if this will do well or if anyone will care. Unless some other big name characters make cameos? Hmm......

I think in this instance, casting really doesn't matter a lot.

not a lot of choices i would have guessed. Huston could be good. Edgerton would be alright. I think out of the whole bunch though that Pace would be the best choice.

I hope we see Howard the Duck :)

Jason Statham for Rocket Raccoon!!

@kid Apollo said:

Jason Statham for Rocket Raccoon!!

That'd be epic. He does kinda sound like Rocket already. LOL

I want Mark Wahlberg for Star-Lord. LOL Annihilus should be the main villain.

I'm not watching this unless Gunn is taken off the project. He's homophobic, misogynistic, slut-shaming scum.

@kid Apollo: spot on! he'll be perfect as rocket raccoon voice!

@dreamfall31: Great underrated show. Didn't know he was in Twilight.

It's probably not too hard to market if they are featuring the Avengers in the movie. After all, Thanos is supposed to face off against the Avengers, and the only way they can turn that into a movie with a happy ending (Let's face it. They're going for a happy ending.) without the cowardly anime-style ending (The resurrection of EVERYONE) is to use Drax to take down Thanos. Wham.

Jack Huston is really really really good in Boardwalk Empire - personally think this could be his big break. Of course Jim Sturgess is a fantastic actor as well.

Joel Edgerton would be great

I think that the fact that it is more of a sci-fi film than a regular superhero one might actually help Guardians of the Galaxy to have a good reception, and that it might even attract people that wouldn't usually watch a superhero film for being "too childish" or some stupid thing like that. I'm pretty sure most Star Wars fans that are not great fans of superheros (like my father) would be intrigued and would watch it. Anyway, that's only my opinion.

@BobFromAccounting: Seriously ?

@MatKrenz: http://www.themarysue.com/james-gunnsuperhero-sex-post/

I'm not too familiar with Guardians of the Galaxy, but aren't there lesbian characters in it? I really don't want to see this guy writing lesbians.

Or any characters, for that matter.

Considering James Gunn is directing it, I won't be seeing it either way.

I refuse to give money toward such a disgusting, homophobic, sexist individual.

I think this film will be fine as far as marketing. not only will you get comic fans but it will also fit the nitche for all those sci-fi fans. This is one of those liscenses that I think can go beyond just comic fans. and I think people will like it.

I could see Lee Pace as Starlord, actually. He was excellent in the Fall.

@BobFromAccounting said:

@MatKrenz: http://www.themarysue.com/james-gunnsuperhero-sex-post/

I'm not too familiar with Guardians of the Galaxy, but aren't there lesbian characters in it? I really don't want to see this guy writing lesbians.

Or any characters, for that matter.

There have been before, but they're not appearing in this film.

Don't see it if you don't want to. Good grief.

Star Wars, the Matrix, Inception and many more have zero characters that were household names before there release yet they all still killed it.

@Namor1987 said:

@kid Apollo said:

Jason Statham for Rocket Raccoon!!

That'd be epic. He does kinda sound like Rocket already. LOL

I want Mark Wahlberg for Star-Lord. LOL Annihilus should be the main villain.

Bob Hoskins is the only choice for the raccoon

Lee Pace please. The Fall is one of my favorite movies ever. As for the other characters, Drax-Michael Jai-White, Groot-John Rhys-Davies, Gamora-Rooney Mara, and Rocket Raccoon as played by Simon Pegg.

Not one A-lister so far, and it seems that's good. I do want this movie to be successful and not run into budget issues.

@sweetesttoaster: Won't ever happen, I'm afraid. He's said himself he's not interested in anything like that at all. Plus he's too busy with other things at the moment anyway.

I CALL DIBS ON VOICING ROCKET RACCOON!!!!

I didn't recognize any of the eight names that were thrown out as in the running. Honestly, I just hope they still have Star-Lord's helmet. The helmet makes the character for me, recent invention or not.

Gallery

I mean, it's not like the face plate doesn't flip up so we can see the actor's face. Also, I wish they included Mantis on the roster.

Gallery

Maybe in the inevitable sequel. Oh, and Cosmo too.

Vin Diesel for Drax please!!!

@BobFromAccounting said:

I'm not watching this unless Gunn is taken off the project. He's homophobic, misogynistic, slut-shaming scum.

Um ok! I doubt we will see those topics in this movie!

I hope Red Skull shows up.

Is James Gunn still directing after that whole controversy? -->http://www.themarysue.com/james-gunnsuperhero-sex-post/

Cool.

As long as they say its made by Marvel Comics, most should see it after all, every Avengers film so far has been good.

Its the same as thinking that any of the next movies will be good soley because of the past ones.

TBH the only movie that would be hard to see is a Black Widow movie.

@BobFromAccounting@The Mast@wildcardcomics I'm not saying that James Gunn's comments weren't incredibly offensive, but he has since issued a fairly sincere apology.If I can believe what he says in this apology, I will probably give the film a shot. And sinceMoondragon and Phyla-Vell aren't in this film, he won't be dealing with any gay characters for this film.