The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been going strong for a decade, and is showing no signs of slowing down. While these interconnected blockbusters have become commonplace, there are certain movies that manage to stand out among the rest. Chief among them is the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, which has a tone unique to any of its peers within the genre.
While the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise is truly an ensemble project, the cast (and the team itself) is led by Chris Pratt's Peter Quill/ Star-Lord. The character is equal parts comedy and substance, but his costume could have looked a lot different than Pratt's signature look in the franchise. Just take a look below.
Woah. This image practically looks like it's from another movie altogether, as its much more theatrical and flashy than the red uniform Star-Lord is wont to wear throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But did the studio make the right call?
This image comes to us from artist Charlie Wen, who was the head of the art department in a handful of MCU blockbusters-- especially during the cinematic universe's first two phases. His work on James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy was followed by contributions to both Avengers: Age of Ultron and Ant-Man, although his vision has been noticeably absent during the massively successful Phase Three.
Charlie Wen's rendering for Star-Lord matches the concept art that first announced James Gunn's blockbuster. The image debuted at Comic-Con before the Guardians became household names, with the team ultimately looking way different in the final movie. Star-Lord's above appearance has a much more medieval inspiration, and a closer resemblance to the character's comic book costume.
Instead of an armored costume with touches of blue, Peter Quill ultimately had a much more pedestrian appearance when he made his MCU debut in Guardians of the Galaxy. Chris Pratt rocked a simple leather red Ravager jacket, and an otherwise civilian costume. And when the Guardians eventually got it together and became their own team, Gamora, Drax, and Rocket all got to rock their own matching red uniform.
Ultimately, Star-Lord is the only member of the Guardians of the Galaxy that has a custom superhero outfit. The crew didn't wear matching outfits when they returned for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 or Avengers: Infinity War. Instead, their individual personalities and abilities are reflected with their gear. Besides, the Guardians don't really need big crazy costumes. They look crazy enough just the way they are.
The Guardians of the Galaxy (or what's left of them) will return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe when Avengers 4 arrives in theaters on May 3rd. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your trips to the movies in the New Year.
