james gunn

We’ve got still more coverage from the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 for you. Following our visit to the set, and our conversation with Kevin Feige, here’s the full transcript (lightly edited for length, and removing a few spoilers that Marvel still doesn’t want out in the world) of the press’ lengthy chat with Guardians writer/director James Gunn. Topics included why Thanos and his Infinity Stones won’t show up this time around, how the sequel is both more intimate and more massive in scope, and the mystery character who Gunn originally wrote into the Guardians 2 script treatment, only to cut him (and he did say it was a him) out because there were just two many heroes at that point.

If you’ve read our full Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 set visit, and you still want more details from behind the scenes of Marvel’s next big blockbuster, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s the nearly full conversation (which we’ve lightly edited for length and clarity) that Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige had with the assembled press on the set of Guardians 2. Below you’ll get more details on the film’s story (if you’re really worried about spoilers, you might want to skim that part), particularly how Yondu and Mantis fits into the new roster of the Guardians, along with some concrete details about the movie’s place in the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe. (No Thanos! No Infinity Stones!)

Movie sets. If you’ve watched La La Land or even Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, you know they’re supposed to be glamorous. Bright lights, brighter stars, exotic locales ... So, what am I doing here in an abandoned convention center outside Atlanta?

Welcome to the Guardians of the Galaxy Yondu. Hope you survive the experience!

In the comic-books, she’s been known by several names, including Her, Paragon, Kismet and Ayesha — a supreme being created by a team of scientists who call themselves the Enclave. In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, her name is Ayesha, a formidable new villain played by Elizabeth Debicki. We haven’t gotten a peek at her just yet, but thanks to a promo image for an upcoming line of Funko toys, we now have a slight idea of what Debicki’s MCU villain looks like.

After experiencing the utter joy that is Dancing Baby Groot in the Guardians of the Galaxy post-credits scene, his inclusion in Vol. 2 seems like a real no-brainer — especially for Marvel and Disney, which stand to make serious bank off of that adorable, wide-eyed little twig in merchandising alone. But according to director James Gunn, Baby Groot’s involvement in the sequel has nothing to do with merchandising at all (though I’m sure it doesn’t hurt the bottom line in that department).

We’ve done our waiting, and now it’s finally here — feast your eyes on the first official Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 trailer! All of our favorites are back, plus a few new faces and one very big tentacle monster. This trailer keeps the rock music vibe of the first movie alive with their choice of Sweet’s “Fox on the Run,” and it looks just as fun, if not even more fun, than its predecessor.

Dangerous business, making trailers these days. When a beloved franchise unveils the first look at its latest installment, they can be sure that the devoted fanbase will go through each and every frame with a fine-toothed comb, on the hunt for any context-free images that may hint at a new character, location, or plot development. In the worst cases, a trailer becomes a maddening game of keep away between the editor cutting it and the fans itching to strip-mine it for spoilers. James Gunn, as he’s readied the first trailer for his upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy sequel, has had to learn this the hard way.

Last fall, James Gunn revealed that there was still one Guardians of the Galaxy easter egg that hadn’t been discovered, sending fans scrambling to scrutinize the film in search of what the director called “the big one.” Over a year later, the easter egg still hasn’t been found, leading some dispirited folks to believe they’ve been sent on a wild goose chase. Now Gunn is putting his money where his mouth is, offering $100,000 to the fan who proves that the easter egg doesn’t exist.

For decades, Marvel has benefited greatly from having Stan Lee as the unofficial ambassador of all things comic book-related. Over the past few years, though, director James Gunn has given Lee a run for his money with his (relative) candor about the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the challenge of keeping the characters and mythology of the comic books all in a row. When Lee is finally ready to hang up his Marvel hat, Gunn might be the obvious chose to succeed him as the creative face of the company. And that makes the two of them working together on Lee’s MCU cameos just about the perfect match.