Skip to main content
Games Radar
  • Newsarama
  • Total Film
  • Edge
  • Retro Gamer
  • SFX
Total Film The smarter take on movies
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of Australia
Australia
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • SFX
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
View
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best Netflix Shows
Recommended reading
Guardians of the Galaxy 3
Marvel Movies DC boss James Gunn says he made sure Marvel scripts featuring Rocket "always made sense" – as sometimes they "didn't match" what he felt about the character
The cast of Thunderbolts standing in an elevator during the trailer for the upcoming Marvel Phase 5 movie.
Marvel Movies Thunderbolts director says earlier version of the Marvel movie's script was "kind of like a Die Hard thing"
Will Poulter in Guardians of the Galaxy 3
Marvel Movies Guardians of the Galaxy 3 star recalls accidentally punching Dave Bautista in the face while filming the Marvel movie
The cast of Thunderbolts standing in an elevator during the trailer for the upcoming Marvel Phase 5 movie.
Marvel Movies Thunderbolts* Easter eggs: all the Marvel references you might have missed
Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards in The Fantastic Four: The First Steps
Marvel Movies Marvel unveils new Fantastic Four popcorn bucket – and with it, our best look yet at the titular team's ship Excelsior (AKA the one that's not in Thunderbolts*)
Superman bloodied, being carried by his robot assistants
DC Movies Superman director James Gunn has revealed a secret cameo by the Guardians of the Galaxy in his big DC reboot movie
Doom #1 cover art by Sanford Greene
Marvel Movies Robert Downey Jr. shares another Avengers: Doomsday behind the scenes picture – and he might be teasing a Galactus showdown
  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies
  3. Action Movies
  4. Marvel Movies
  5. Guardians of the Galaxy

20 Things We Learned On The Set Of Guardians Of The Galaxy

Features
By Rosie Fletcher published 20 May 2014

Space battles, Bon Jovi and Rocket Raccoon...

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Theres going to be a MASSIVE space battle

Theres going to be a MASSIVE space battle

Guardians Of The Galaxy is a ‘space opera’ and there’s going to be a serious scrap. As well as nosing around Star Lords’ (Chris Pratt) ship The Milano, we caught a glimpse of some concept art from Rocket’s Warbird – an x-wing style ship – Yondu’s fighter, Ronan’s Dark Aster as well as a vista with hundreds of ships converging.

Expect hardcore Star Wars- style space battles.

Page 1 of 20
Page 1 of 20
You're going to be earwormed

You're going to be earwormed

Peter Quill's walkman plays a key part in the film – it's one of the few things that keeps the once Earth-dwelling space explorer grounded and in touch with his roots, and it's packed with '80s rock tunes from the era he grew up in.

James Gunn chose the tracks carefully and Chris Pratt listened to nothing but those songs during filming.

"I have listened to that thing so many times that I fucking hate all of them!" says Pratt "I’m like, ‘oh god if I hear the Pina Colada song one more time...'"

Page 2 of 20
Page 2 of 20
Quill is like a space Bon Jovi

Quill is like a space Bon Jovi

Mood boards we had a look at on set showed David Bowie, Mad Max and Mick Jagger were all reference points for Quill, but Chris Pratt sees the character as more of a cheesy '80s rocker.

"He’s like Bon Jovi, John Stamos, Young Guns , he’s big into that period of time and doesn’t really know any better, so still makes these really outdated references that no one gets – they’re like, 'We’re from space. We don’t know who John Stamos is.'"

Page 3 of 20
Page 3 of 20
Quill eats a lot of sweets

Quill eats a lot of sweets

In fact, he's a big kid. When we climbed aboard his ship, The Milano, we were fascinated by the detailed set dressing. These included a table full of brightly-coloured sweets and sweet wrappers, plus a baseball mitt and stickers of Alf the alien.

Page 4 of 20
Page 4 of 20
Drax has the worst seat on the Milano

Drax has the worst seat on the Milano

Quill's ship, the Milano, is the Millenium Falcon of the movie – constructed and docked at Shepperton studios, piloted by Quill (using a bronze and leather old-school joystick, naturally).

On the control deck, seats are arranged with two at the front, two at the back and one in the middle. And the one in the middle (the worst seat on the ship) belongs to Drax The Destroyer (Dave Bautista).

"Are we nearly there yet? I feel sick! I want a wee!" We can only imagine...

Page 5 of 20
Page 5 of 20
Chris Pratt looks buff

Chris Pratt looks buff

Pratt's best known for playing lazy-ass chubster Andy Dwyer in Parks & Recreation . He banished the chub by losing 10 inches on his waist and 65 lbs in total (from his heavier physique, cultivated for Delivery Man , opposite Vince Vaughn) to play unlikely hero Quill.

And we can attest, he looks pretty ripped. "My world became, for the first four or five months, 100% solely dedicated to trying to become [ this ]," Pratt says.

Page 6 of 20
Page 6 of 20
There could be romance in store for Peter Quill

There could be romance in store for Peter Quill

"When you meet Peter, he’s very much enjoying his time in space with beautiful femaliens that he’s come across – in a benign PG-13 way," chuckles Pratt when we grill him on the matter.

"But yeah, there’s a little bit of budding romance there," he concedes. A schmooch with green queen Gamora (Zoe Saldana) perhaps? There's something of the Han/Leia about the two we reckon...

Page 7 of 20
Page 7 of 20
Everybody loves Rocket

Everybody loves Rocket

"His character’s kind of the best, he has the best arc in the movie..." says Pratt of the scrappy little superhero. Though at the time of our visit, Rocket was yet to be voiced, director James Gunn and the cast all agree that getting him right is the key to the film’s success.

"Rocket really has to be a balance between somebody who can do the fast talking speech patterns that Rocket has, but also can be funny and has the heart that Rocket has, because there’s actually some pretty dramatic scenes with Rocket.

"To be able to get that has proven extremely hard – both among stars who weren’t able to do one aspect or another and among voice-actors who seem to have a really hard time doing the dramatic aspect of the voice – it seems to almost always sound like a cartoon. So really getting all those things and doing all those things in the right way is what the challenge is."

Bradley Cooper’s now on board and Gunn seems thrilled to bits.

"In all truth, we hired Bradley because he’s able to do both comedy and drama – it’s the thing I look for most in the actors on all my films. And to truly sell Rocket, for you to believe a Raccoon can talk and blow up and shoot tons of stuff, we need a well-rounded actor."

Page 8 of 20
Page 8 of 20
The talking tree is a little sweetheart

The talking tree is a little sweetheart

Not only is there a bit in the Guardians Of The Galaxy teaser trailer where Groot gives a little girl a flower, but the rest of the cast also insist that Groot is the cutie pie of the Guardians.

"To me the only pure character with all good intentions is Groot. He’s a really true innocent character," says Dave Bautista (aka Drax). Only able to say "I am Groot", and bessie mates with diminutive maniac Rocket, Groot's the closest the Guardians have to a true good guy.

"Groot’s my heart, he’s a really beautiful, beautiful character in this movie, and I feel like if I was just watching Guardians I would definitely be completely enamoured by Groot," agrees Zoe Saldana. Even the gorgeously intricate fibreglass statue of Groot's head we saw on set, made to look like wood, had eyes that were full of understanding and pathos...

Page 9 of 20
Page 9 of 20
Dave Bautista collects novelty lunchboxes

Dave Bautista collects novelty lunchboxes

He may be playing vengeful powerhouse Drax The Destroy but ex-wrestler Dave Bautista admits he's totally into collectable lunchboxes.

His most prized lunchboxes?

"Right now I have a 1967 Green Hornet lunchbox. That’s my favourite because it has Kato on and a Bruce Lee connection. I’ve got a few good ones. The only one I really remember having as a little kid was a Fat Albert lunchbox, a ’77 Fat Albert.

"I have that in my collection as well. I’ve got a 1966 Beatles lunchbox that’s pristine, still got its wrapper and the thermos is still wrapped up. That’s probably my most valuable. There’d better be a Drax lunchbox! If they don’t make one I will!"

Page 10 of 20
Page 10 of 20
Gamora has daddy issues

Gamora has daddy issues

Zoe Saldana's green assassin is the adopted daughter of Marvel uber-baddie Thanos and the step sister of Karen Gillan's Nebula.

Though Nebula's firmly entrenched in the dark side and Gamora has found some level of meaning with the Guardians which makes her want to fight for good, she's still pretty cross with her adoptive pop, who apparently showed her no love as a child and taught her to be a mean green killing machine.

"I’m pretty sure if she had a chance she would totally kill her dad," says Saldana.

Page 11 of 20
Page 11 of 20
Gamora fights like a bullfighter but feels like a Sudanese child...

Gamora fights like a bullfighter but feels like a Sudanese child...

Saldana's reference points for her character were certainly varied. As a character who was abducted and taken from her people as a child, she identifies with the displacement of Sudanese children.

"There are similarities, I guess, when it came to an emotional level, like the lost kids of Sudan must feel, where you’re taken and you’re exposed to so much violence and abuse and you’re tortured and forced to project that violence onward," she says.

While the way she approached scrapping with a sword was more related to a Spanish matador's style. "I shared a moment with a friend who’s a painter from Mexico, and her latest exhibit is this documentary, this three minute thing that she did with a Picasso painting and this bullfighter. It’s in slow motion, it's a death dance. I’m like, 'oh my gosh, Gamora’s a bullfighter.'"

Page 12 of 20
Page 12 of 20
The Kiln is going to be hardcore

The Kiln is going to be hardcore

We caught a glimpse of the designs for space prison the Kiln, where the five Guardians meet, and it looks awesome.

Three storeys of cells surround the eight-sided prison with a central communal area – perfect for a massive riot if the trailer is anything to go by.

The inmates all dress in yellow, with a barcode system on their uniforms to indicate how transgressive and dangerous each prisoner is. Also: keep your eyes peeled for graffiti in the Kiln, where the most observant will be rewarded with Easter Eggs galore...

Page 13 of 20
Page 13 of 20
No one knows more about comics than Yondu

No one knows more about comics than Yondu

Walking Dead and Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer star Michael Rooker is, according to James Gunn, a research nut.

"Rooker’s fucking crazy," says Gunn. "If there’s a character that’s the furthest away from what he is in the comic book it’s Yondu – and if there’s anyone who knows the most, every single little thing about Yondu that’s ever existed, it’s Rooker! He drives me crazy. I have to keep reminding him: ‘We are making the movie, we’re not making the comic book... I’m not sure you do have a relationship with rabbits where you can control them or whatever...'"

Page 14 of 20
Page 14 of 20
Ronan and Nebula are like a dysfunctional couple

Ronan and Nebula are like a dysfunctional couple

Ronan The Accuser (played by Lee Pace) is the main baddie of Guardians and he’s a pretty dark fellow.

"He’s a really bad guy. There’s not a lot of love in his heart," explains Pace. Though he’s not completely without emotion. Karen Gillan’s Nebula, who fights for evil along side Ronan, is like the dastardly yin to his yang.

"There’s a connection between the two of us," Pace explains. "You know when you’re angry at your partner, but you love her? You feel that very strongly towards that person. That’s the closest he can feel to loving her. He’s not a cuddly person."

Page 15 of 20
Page 15 of 20
Dicking around on set is positively encouraged

Dicking around on set is positively encouraged

Between takes moments on the day we spent watching filming at Shepperton Studios included:

  • Zoe Saldana playing air-guitar with Gamora’s massive split-bladed sword
  • Chris Pratt pointing his flash lights at other cast and crew members’ crotches and bums and shouting: ‘Dickshot! Butt shot!’
  • Chris Pratt doing a rendition of 'Smooth Criminal'
  • The whole cast doing a rendition of 'Roxanne'
  • The props department doing a slightly disgusting experiment with an apple
Page 16 of 20
Page 16 of 20
Quills a bit of a Mr Fix it

Quills a bit of a Mr Fix it

Check out Quill’s boots and you see a couple of thrusters attached. They won’t propel him through space, Chris Pratt explains, but "if I need a little help getting over a crevasse or jumping up, they give me a little bit of boost".

Quill built these himself.

"I’m a bit of a tinkerer, my character’s a bit like a biker in a way, like a Harley guy, he prefers to ride a motorcycle that needs a lot of maintenance. I don’t ride a motorcycle in the movie but I have a spaceship."

Page 17 of 20
Page 17 of 20
Ronans hood is good

Ronans hood is good

Yep, it’s all about the hood for the Accuser – an ancient and iconic item that Oscar-winning costume designer and the lady behind The Avengers’ togs Alexandra Byrne fashioned.

"There’s something kind of Egyptian and medieval and like a judge about it. I get it all on and just feel different. I feel strong and huge. I just look huge," says Pace.

Page 18 of 20
Page 18 of 20
Ronans is bigger but Quills does more cool stuff

Ronans is bigger but Quills does more cool stuff

Ronan’s Dark Aster and Quill’s Milano are both constructed in Shepperton studios, so it’s no surprise the arch enemies have had a wander round each other’s spaceships. And Lee Pace, who plays Ronan, has vehicle envy...

"I really love the Milano. I went in there to check it out and I was like, ‘I want one.’ Mine is way bigger, but who needs all that? The Milano is cool."

Page 19 of 20
Page 19 of 20
Crossover potential? Dont rule it out

Crossover potential? Dont rule it out

Guardians may be Marvel Cosmic (as opposed to being predominately Earth-based like Iron-Man), but these characters still exist within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As well as lots of lovely Easter Eggs (graffiti in the space prison the Kiln, The Collector’s museum etc) and the appearance of Marvel mega-baddie Thanos, Star Lord going toe to toe with Iron Man isn’t off the cards.

"Everybody else I kind of thought of would get run over by Robert Downey Jr if they were ever in a movie together. I think that Chris could completely hold his own... He’d exchange barbs with him, and then kick his ass!" grins Gunn, when we grill him about his casting choice.

So will they ever be in a movie together?

"Who knows," teases Gunn. "It’s possible."

Guardians Of The Galaxy opens in the UK on 31 July 2014.

Page 20 of 20
Page 20 of 20
CATEGORIES
Disney Plus Apple Tv Plus Streaming Services
Rosie Fletcher
Social Links Navigation

Rosie is the former editor of Total Film, before she moved to be the Special Edition Editor for the magazine group at Future. After that she became the Movies Editor at Digital Spy, and now she's the UK Editor of Den of Geek. She's an experienced movie and TV journalist, with a particular passion for horror.

See more Movies Features
Read more
Guardians of the Galaxy 3
DC boss James Gunn says he made sure Marvel scripts featuring Rocket "always made sense" – as sometimes they "didn't match" what he felt about the character
The cast of Thunderbolts standing in an elevator during the trailer for the upcoming Marvel Phase 5 movie.
Thunderbolts director says earlier version of the Marvel movie's script was "kind of like a Die Hard thing"
Will Poulter in Guardians of the Galaxy 3
Guardians of the Galaxy 3 star recalls accidentally punching Dave Bautista in the face while filming the Marvel movie
The cast of Thunderbolts standing in an elevator during the trailer for the upcoming Marvel Phase 5 movie.
Thunderbolts* Easter eggs: all the Marvel references you might have missed
Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards in The Fantastic Four: The First Steps
Marvel unveils new Fantastic Four popcorn bucket – and with it, our best look yet at the titular team's ship Excelsior (AKA the one that's not in Thunderbolts*)
Superman bloodied, being carried by his robot assistants
Superman director James Gunn has revealed a secret cameo by the Guardians of the Galaxy in his big DC reboot movie
Latest in Marvel Movies
Ironheart
Fans are sharing their highs and lows from Marvel Phase 5, but some are wondering why the MCU is still bothering with phases post-Avengers: Endgame
Beast
Superman star confirms he won't be returning as his Marvel X-Men character in Avengers: Doomsday, but is "excited to see" the original Beast back on screen: "It'll be fun to see how they incorporate those characters into that world"
The Fantastic Four: First Steps
The Fantastic Four: First Steps gets a puzzling "first look" months after footage was initially released
Ben Grimm and Reed Richards in The Fantastic Four: First Steps
New Fantastic Four concept art post unveils our best look yet at the Baxter Building – and Marvel fans think they might prefer it to the comic version
Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards in The Fantastic Four: The First Steps
Fantastic Four star Pedro Pascal wanted to use an authentic '60s accent as Reed Richards, but Marvel said "talk more like yourself": "I had a hard time doing that"
Kevin Feige at the Marvel Hall H panel during San Diego Comic-Con
James Gunn says Marvel boss Kevin Feige was a "really great role model" for what he's trying to achieve at DC: "He let me do my thing, but he also was really honest with what he thought"
Latest in Features
Emma Mackey and Fiona Shaw as Sofia and Rose in Hot Milk
Sun, sea, and strained relationships: Andor's Fiona Shaw and Barbie's Emma Mackey play a mother and daughter on the brink in new drama Hot Milk
Two menacing gingerbread men look intimidating while a candy person waves from a cage
I didn't expect to like the latest D&D book, but after an utterly stupid adventure I'm all in on Dragon Delves
Mion and Rena look uneasy in the classroom in Higurashi: When They Cry
The Silent Hill f writer's debut game was basically the original Doki Doki Literature Club, and it's still terrifying me 23 years later
Quantum Witch screenshots
This stunning 2D "plotformer" is the ultimate cottagecore fantasy with an extra dose of mystery, sapphic witches, and a giant lady who fights you
Superman
Krypto the Superdog - The comic history of Superman's best friend
All-New Spider-Gwen: The Ghost Spider #1
Spider-Gwen's new comic introduces her own personal symbiote villain, Tantrum: "Tantrum is the embodiment of everything Gwen was trying to leave behind"
  1. Sam fires at the ghost mech squid boss in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
    1
    Death Stranding 2: On the Beach review: "This tarpunk delivery epic is more Metal Gear Solid than ever, for better and worse"
  2. 2
    Rematch review: "As with Rocket League, the just-one-more-game pull is magnetic"
  3. 3
    Tron: Catalyst review: "Disc slinging is a thrill in this gorgeous rendition of the series, but I'm let down by a time-loop story that falls flat"
  4. 4
    FBC: Firebreak review: "A disappointingly bland multiplayer FPS that's missing far too much of what made Control special"
  5. 5
    Dune: Awakening review: "Both extremely compelling and extraordinarily boring, sometimes at the same time – yet still a true Dune love letter"
  1. A T-rex in Jurassic World Rebirth
    1
    Jurassic World Rebirth Review: "An unscary sequel that needed a little more time in amber"
  2. 2
    M3GAN 2.0 review: "A bold sequel with a slightly underwhelming conclusion"
  3. 3
    28 Years Later Review: "Enough terror, splatter and suspense to satisfy”
  4. 4
    Predator: Killer of Killers review: "Great characters, thrilling action, and gorgeous Arcane-esque animation"
  5. 5
    From the World of John Wick: Ballerina review: "Brilliant action, even if the plot gives you a sense of déjà vu"
  1. Lee Jung-jae as Gi-hun in Squid Game season 3
    1
    Squid Game season 3 review: "A staggeringly excellent final season wraps up one of the greatest Netflix shows ever"
  2. 2
    Ironheart review: "A relic of Marvel's content-at-all-costs era"
  3. 3
    Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 review: "The show's most assured run of episodes to date"
  4. 4
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 8 spoiler review: 'The Reality War' is "a mix of the good, the bad, and the truly baffling"
  5. 5
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 7 spoiler review: 'Wish World' is "an exciting and ambitious" start to the season finale, with hints of WandaVision

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...