James Gunn Says GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 Is a Bigger Film but Also More Intimate
James Gunn is a wonderfully talented filmmaker who wowed audiences with Guardians of the Galaxy, and we're expecting him to wow fans again with the upcoming sequel. During a recent Q&A at the Atlanta Film Festival, the director talked about Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and how it’s not only going to be a bigger film, but it’s also going to be more intimate. He said:
"It's been a lot of hard work,honestly. It's a much bigger film. Also at the same time, a much more intimate film, more character-driven in certain ways, so it's just a lot of work. And everybody has been on their game."
Gunn went on to praise a couple of the new actors joining the fold, including Kurt Russell, who is most likely playing Star-Lord’s dad, and Pom Klementieff, who plays Mantis. In regards to these characters, he says:
"The new cast members... Kurt Russell has been incredible. And Pom Klementieff, who plays a new Guardian [Mantis] has been just, she blows me away. She's really been perfect."
Gunn also went on to talk about Rocket Raccoon, who has become a fan favorite character, and how Rocket is the spirit behind the movies.
“Rocket is my inner child. The whole movie to me was based on Rocket. Marvel came to me with this movie, I thought ‘you guys are crazy,’ this sounds like an insane idea. I was driving home from the meeting and I’m like, ‘OK, let’s say there was really a talking raccoon. How would that exist? And it was really that scene is everything, GUARDIANS was built out of that, so I have a very strong emotional connection to Rocket…. Rocket is really a combination of a lot of people. I write the character. My brother Sean does all the acting on set. Bradley [Cooper] comes and does the voice. We have a whole team of animators who help with the acting there. So there’s a lot of control I have, a lot more attachment to Rocket and to Groot in that respect.”
On top of telling good stories and properly developing characters, Gunn is also great at mixing hilarious, smart humor into his stories. They guy knows comedy, and he delivers great comedic beats. When asked about movies like Suicide Squad and Deadpool emulating his style of humor he says:
“If it’s sincere, I think that’s great. For me, honestly, the reason why GUARDIANS was successful, and I believe the reason a movie like DEADPOOL (2016) was successful is because we really are sincere about it. This is the real stuff. Everything in this movie is something I believe in. I believe in those characters. Some people think I’m crazy. Because I love that raccoon. I mean, as much as I would love my own child. Really, it’s a little bit insane. But I love those characters so much, and I love that story so much, and I love that I was a kid that was not a normal kid and felt very alone. And luckily I had some artists out there, who I could listen to their music or watch their films, whether it was David Cronenberg movies or Alice Cooper’s music, where I thought ‘goddamn I’m not the only weirdo in the world.’ And to be able to make a movie that speaks to those people, that speaks to people that feel like they’re alone or like they’re outcasts or that don’t have friends or have screwed-up families and need that connection with other living beings, that they can feel some small part of that through seeing GUARDIANS, that is why I make the movies. And that is the only reason I make them.”
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is set to be released on May 5th, 2017, and I can’t wait to see what the sequel gives us.