With Marvel building up their Cinematic Universe with the indubitable Avengers franchise, their pockets couldn't get any fuller. Marvel has been making a killing since 2008, introducing Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and the Hulk and producing one of the greatest superhero team-up films since ever. While their pockets are quite deep at the moment, they look to expand their universe even more with the Guardians of the Galaxy. An idea that at first sounded like a gamble, since not many people are familiar with the cosmic team-up, Marvel must have been out of their minds to release a standalone film outside of the Avengers that does or doesn't correlate with their already blossoming franchise. The expectations are sky-high (no pun intended), and fans that are eager to see the continuation of Phase Two will be blessed to see more Marvel product later in 2014. The first trailer has arrived, and the expectations and promises that James Gunn made to the masses is pronounced to absolute sharpness. The reveal shined some light on the tone of the film, which is both fantastical and humorous in its nature. The Guardians themselves were unveiled, with just the right amount of backstory and detail to create a space-faring team. And yet, the Guardians still seem like an enigmatic choice for the Cinematic Universe. After James Gunn announced that the Guardians of the Galaxy would start the "Marvel Cosmic Universe," a whole slew of questions are stirring as to what exactly Gunn means. Is he creating a whole new cinematic universe dedicated to Marvel heroes in space? Does he plan to merge both the Cosmic and Cinematic Universes together in a massive crossover? The questions are indeed strong in number, and there are predictions to be had. At the moment, there are five lingering predictions after glancing at the first trailer that must be noted. Most are based off eagerness and nostalgia, while others seems appropriate approximations of what we've seen thus far and what we've been able to guess. The Guardians of the Galaxy may be a step in different direction for Marvel, but it could be a step worth taking for all the right reasons. Note: There are plot points exploited throughout this article, so there's a SPOILER WARNING in effect immediately following the next page. You've been warned.
Ryan Glenn is an amateur writer in pursuit of a career in both the writing and graphic design fields. He currently attends the Art Institutes of Illinois and looks to go back for a degree in journalism. A reader of an exhaustive library of books and an adept music and video game lover, there's no outlet of media that he isn't involved in or doesn't love.
