This weekend “Guardians of the Galaxy” is primed to shatter August opening weekend records. Audiences seem to be onboard with the quirky space comedy, trusting Marvel to navigate through yet another origin story without getting stale of boring.
But “Guardians” is the least well-known Marvel property to date. Most people will go into the theater a blank slate, bringing no preconceived notions as to who these characters are. Even bit players from other Marvel films – The Collector and Thanos – are shrouded in mystery for mainstream movie-going audiences.
Writers Nicole Perlman and James Gunn are using ignorance to their advantage, playing fast and loose with origin stories and relationship dynamics. Below are some of the changes they made and how they could affect future installations of the franchise.
WARNING: Spoilers for “Guardians of the Galaxy” and potential spoilers for future movies inside!