What would Guardians of the Galaxy be without its Awesome Mix? Peter Quill’s tape is essential to the fabric of the first film and finding out which tracks James Gunn chose for the sequel was part of the Vol. 2 anticipation package. According the director, one Marvel faction suggested wiping Star Lord’s musical tastes from the franchise.
Gunn’s recollection of events came up as part of Vanity Fair‘s cover story of the mighty Marvel Studios empire. Marvel’s infamous (and now disbanded) Creative Committee didn’t get Gunn’s soundtrack vision. Nor did Isaac Perlmutter, chairman of Marvel Entertainment.
Director James Gunn chalked up every conflict he had making Guardians of the Galaxy to Perlmutter and the Marvel “creative committee”—a legacy of the studio’s early days—which read every script and gave writers and filmmakers feedback. Said Gunn, “They were a group of comic-book writers and toy people” who gave him “haphazard” notes. The committee, for example, suggested Guardians of the Galaxy ditch the 70s music that the film’s hero loves. (The movie’s soundtrack, featuring retro hits, would later go platinum.) Members of the creative committee declined to comment for the story.
Gunn’s push to have Guardians lean on the likes of 10cc, Raspberries and Redbone has clearly paid off. That said, it is fun to imagine Chris Pratt dancing enthusiastically to royalty-free knock-offs plucked from the TLC music library.
(Via Vanity Fair & /Film)