There are many Guardians of the Galaxy facts that we would love to know. It is one of the biggest Marvel franchises. Also, the characters are very memorable. Quill, Gamora, Drax, Rocket and Groot are so cool and awesome. What’s more, the excellent plotlines are even more exciting with each successive movie.
The first two volumes of the films made over $1.6 billion in total, with the third volume already earning over $700 million. The soundtracks became popular on streaming platforms and introduced younger generations to older hit songs. The films also made the animated space raccoon and anthropomorphic tree into stars. Most importantly, they are the most enjoyable movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe so far.
Vin Diesel Wore Stilts
Vin Diesel recorded his line “I am Groot” over 1,000 times in different languages. What you might not know is that he wore special leg contraptions resembling stilts during some of the recordings. This helped him feel more like a tall talking tree. It shows his strong commitment to his voice-acting role. Talk about dedication. But then, Vin Diesel has always been a dedicated actor.
Drax Originally Had Jason Momoa
Before the release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1, Jason Momoa was gaining popularity. He had recently played the well-liked character Khal Drogo on Game of Thrones and was expected to land significant film roles. As expected, he auditioned for the role of Drax in Volume 1 and was offered the part. However, he chose not to take it, making way for another actor to play Drax (Momoa later accepted the role of Aquaman for DC instead).
A Different Group
When Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) fans think of the Guardians of the Galaxy, they usually think of Star-Lord, Rocket Raccoon, Groot, Drax, and Gamora. However, in the original comic version, the team had a different lineup. When they first appeared in a 1969 comic, the squad consisted of Stakar, Vance Astro, Captain Charlie-27, Martinex T’Naga, and Yondu.
Interestingly, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Vol. 3 introduced and reimagined some of these characters as members of the Ravagers. Sylvester Stallone portrayed Stakar in both Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, Ving Rhames played Charlie-27 in a mid-credits scene in Vol. 2, and Michael Rosenbaum portrayed Martinex T’Naga in both volumes. Also, this makes for an interesting trivia.
Lee Pace Tried for Peter Quill
Lee Pace is an actor known for his memorable role as Ronan the Accuser in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). While not everyone’s favorite Marvel villain, it’s not his fault but rather the writing and character concept.
Pace is a talented actor, as seen in his performance in films like Lincoln. What’s fascinating is that he initially auditioned for the role of Peter Quill (Star-Lord). It’s uncertain if he would have brought the same humor to the character, which is an essential aspect, but imagining Pace as Quill adds an interesting twist to the story.
That Miley Cyrus Cameo
Guess what? Pop star Miley Cyrus made a surprising appearance in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. How does she fit into the Marvel universe, you wonder? Well, in a hidden cameo, Miley voiced the character Mainframe in the post-credit scene where Stakar reunites with his Ravagers gang. Remember that robotic head saying “I’ve missed you guys so much”? That was Miley’s voice! Now that’s a cameo we did not see coming.
Bug Nearly Made it to the Movies
There’s another cool character from the comics called Bug, originally derived from a Micronauts hero named Galactic Warrior. James Gunn wanted to include Bug in the Guardians films, but he revealed that Disney/Marvel didn’t have the rights to do so. However, considering Marvel’s track record of acquiring character rights (like with Sony and Fox), who knows? Bug might end up being an option in the future! Also, it is an interesting thing to look forward to.
Rocket Was Real
These days, studios can do amazing things with animation, right? Well, in the case of Rocket Raccoon, they actually took inspiration from a real-life raccoon named Oreo for the character’s design. Oreo lived on a farm in Portugal with his raccoon friend Stanley. Unfortunately, Oreo passed away in 2019. We wish his soul peace in the great beyond. Also, may more animals get cruelty-free treatment and kindness from humans.
Joe Pesci Served as Inspiration for Raccoon
Here’s an interesting fact that now makes sense! While Oreo inspired the look of Rocket Raccoon, his voice and attitude were actually derived from a different source. Bradley Cooper, who voices Rocket, originally planned to imitate the voice of Daniel Plainview from There Will Be Blood. However, he ended up infusing Rocket with a bit of Joe Pesci’s voice from Goodfellas. It’s not an exact imitation, but once you know, you can hear the resemblance.
Kraglin is a Gunn
Marvel fans who are truly dedicated may already be aware of this interesting fact from behind the scenes. Sean Gunn, who portrays Kraglin, happens to be the brother of James Gunn, the director. But that’s not all! Sean Gunn also had the chance to lend his voice to the younger version of Rocket in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, alongside Bradley Cooper, who voices the older version of the raccoon. What a marvelous piece of trivia!
The Dedication of Nebula
During press tours and similar events, Karen Gillan demonstrated her complete commitment to the character of Nebula by shaving her head. Despite the availability of a bald cap, Gillan chose to take this drastic step. Fortunately, she was provided with a wig made from her own hair that she had shaved off for the role, which likely made the process a bit easier for her.
Monstrous Groot
In the comics, Groot has a complex backstory. He first appeared as a unique member of the “Flora Colossi,” a race of intelligent and gigantic tree monsters on Planet X. Over the years, his character went through several transformations before eventually becoming a part of the Guardians of the Galaxy in the “Annihilation: Conquest” storyline.
A Man Called Drax
Here’s an interesting fact about the Guardians of the Galaxy: Drax the Destroyer originally had a human identity. He was a real estate agent named Arthur Douglas who was tragically killed by Thanos. However, Thanos’ father Mentor and Kronos, his own father, resurrected Arthur’s soul and transformed him into Drax. Drax’s sole mission is to track down and eliminate Thanos, which we can also see in the films. It becomes his life’s sole mission.
The Groot Dance was Done by James Gunn
In one of the most beloved scenes of the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, Baby Groot starts Volume 2 with an adorable dance. Surprisingly, it was director Gunn himself who performed the dance for the motion capture. You can watch a video that compares Gunn’s dance to the final version. Also, it is pretty hilarious how he does it.
Play-Doh was the Award
Gunn likes to have fun on the Guardians of the Galaxy sets and has a special way of rewarding his cast and crew. When someone does an outstanding job, whether they’re an actor, grip, stuntman, or production assistant, Gunn gives them a canister of Play-Doh. He keeps a pile of Play-Doh containers on set for this purpose. It helps the crew to get some direction.
Cosmo The Dog is Also Real
In the Guardians of the Galaxy comics, there is another clever animal besides Rocket Raccoon. The Russians sent a dog named Cosmo into space in the 1960s. Similar to the films, Cosmo lives on Knowhere and occasionally helps the Guardians. They show this in the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special and Volume 3.
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