<P> Guardians of the Galaxy (retroactively referred to as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1) is a 2014 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures . It is the tenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . The film was directed by James Gunn, who wrote the screenplay with Nicole Perlman, and features an ensemble cast including Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, John C. Reilly, Glenn Close, and Benicio del Toro . In Guardians of the Galaxy, Peter Quill forms an uneasy alliance with a group of extraterrestrial misfits who are fleeing after stealing a powerful artifact . </P> <P> Perlman began working on the screenplay in 2009 . Producer Kevin Feige first publicly mentioned Guardians of the Galaxy as a potential film in 2010 and Marvel Studios announced it was in active development at the San Diego Comic - Con International in July 2012 . Gunn was hired to write and direct the film that September . In February 2013, Pratt was hired to play Peter Quill / Star - Lord, and the supporting cast members were subsequently confirmed . Principal photography began in July 2013 at Shepperton Studios in England, with filming continuing in London before wrapping up in October 2013 . Post-production was finished on July 7, 2014 . </P> <P> The film premiered in Hollywood on July 21, 2014 . It was released in theaters on August 1, 2014 in the United States in the 3D and IMAX 3D formats . The film became a critical and commercial success, grossing $773.3 million worldwide and becoming the highest - grossing superhero film of 2014, as well as the third highest - grossing film of 2014 . The film garnered praise for its humor, action, soundtrack, visual effects, direction, musical score, and acting . A sequel, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, was released on May 5, 2017, with a third film, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, scheduled to be released in 2020 . </P> <P> In 1988, following his mother's death, a young Peter Quill is abducted from Earth by the Ravagers, a group of space pirates led by Yondu Udonta . Twenty - six years later on the planet Morag, Quill steals an orb but is attacked by Korath, a subordinate to the fanatical Kree, Ronan . Although Quill escapes with the orb, Yondu discovers his theft and issues a bounty for his capture, while Ronan sends the assassin Gamora after the orb . </P>

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