15 Ways The MCU Improved Marvel Mythology

Perhaps the best creative decision that the MCU ever made was hiring James Gunn to direct the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. The success of Gunn's gonzo filmmaking style paired with the House of Mouse's money opened the doors for the likes of Taika Waititi and Ryan Coogler to make their own unique stamp on the Marvel Studios brand. But it also almost completely reinvented one of the key Guardians.

In the comics, Peter Quill, a.k.a. Star-Lord was a much more advanced person that the character Gunn and Chris Pratt presented in the MCU. He was a grown man who was much more of a straitlaced leader type, like Cyclops or Captain America just in space. But Gunn decided it was better to have the character be in perpetual arrested development, unable to cope with the loss of his mother and using his rogue charm and space-faring adventures to keep himself from processing his own guilt.

It was a much more nuanced take on what had previously been a very stereotypical sci-fi character. Because he was starting from the point of a man-child, Star-Lord was able to grow as a person throughout the subsequent films. And Pratt's great comic acting and Gunn's creative liberties paired brilliantly to create one of the most beloved and human players in the MCU's roster. This was even reflected in the comics, where he changed to his more famous, swashbuckling personality.