James Gunn is celebrating May the 4th in the grandest ways— telling his emotional story about how Star Wars has impacted his life. Though Gunn has never worked on a Star Wars film, he used it as inspiration for his own space opera: Guardians of the Galaxy.
Related: Grogu, AKA Baby Yoda, Will Crash Google in May the 4th Easter Egg
There are many parallels between Guardians of the Galaxy and Star Wars. For starters, the characters. A plucky hero who is taken from his home and led on an epic journey through space: Star-Lord and Luke Skywalker. A smooth-talking sarcastic sort of anti-hero with a sidekick that doesn’t speak but conveys plenty of emotion: Rocket and Groot, Han Solo and Chewbacca.
We could compare and contrast the two franchises all day, but the point is that James Gunn knows how much Star Wars has meant to him, including the millions of fans worldwide who have stated the same. Many of us saw the trilogy as young kids, and it changed our lives forever. The same can be said for those who know the prequels like the back of their hands, or even Clone Wars and Rebels. Simply put, Star Wars matters greatly; without it, we might never have seen Guardians of the Galaxy.
That is a sentiment that James Gunn shared on this holiest of days:
11 years ago I had a meeting with Marvel Studios about the possibility of doing a Guardians of the Galaxy movie. I remember driving home & thinking I didn't want to make a movie LIKE Star Wars, but a movie that made people FEEL like Star Wars made me feel as a kid. Outlandish… pic.twitter.com/xiCnJOTf7c
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) May 4, 2023
James Gunn’s tribute is incredible, emotional, and spot-on. We are all set to embark on one final trip in the world of the Guardians of the Galaxy, which comes out today via early previews. Gunn has simplified what Star Wars has done for his own franchise beautifully.
According to Gunn, ” I didn’t want to make a movie LIKE Star Wars, but a movie that made people FEEL like Star Wars made me feel as a kid.”
We would argue that the first two movies made us feel as emotional as Star Wars. With the ending of the team, as we know it starting tonight, we expect even more emotion will pour out of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3. We certainly love how James Gunn posted a poster tribute that echoes the first movie along with A New Hope, which also began the epic journey of Luke Skywalker.
We will not spoil any details about the upcoming final chapter in James Gunn’s universe; we will say that everyone should prepare plenty of tissues. We would also like to thank Star Wars for enriching our lives enough that it led to Gunn creating one of the best stories within the grand MCU. The Guardians of the Galaxy has been a Marvel staple, and we are glad that Gunn could finish his story.
Related: Karen Gillan Says “Everyone Was Crying” in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ Scene
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 opens tonight with previews, and it will officially release tomorrow in theaters across the U.S. We hope everyone is as enthralled in the story as we were, and May the Force be with you.
Do you think Guardians of the Galaxy is as good as Star Wars? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!