How the Guardians of the Galaxy Game's Cast Created Characters That Stood Apart from the MCU
Acting for Eidos Montreal’s Guardians of the Galaxy came with an almost unique challenge. Not only were the core cast members tasked with bringing digital avatars to life, they had to differentiate them from some of the most famous onscreen characters of the last decade. Peter Quill, Gamora, Drax the Destroyer, Rocket, and Groot – they’re all now major pop culture names thanks to their MCU counterparts, not to mention decades of comic book appearances.
But this isn’t an MCU game, nor a straight comic adaptation. Not in the slightest. We spoke to all five lead cast members for Guardians of the Galaxy to work out how they managed the balancing act of presenting players with new versions of beloved, familiar characters.
“We were told very early on that [the developers] did not want it to be the comic books, they did not want it to be the MCU versions of the characters,” said Jon McLaren, who plays Starlord. “They wanted us to take risks, try things and really push to make these characters our own.”
That’s exactly what the cast did.
“I chose not to go back and look at the movies,” said Kimberly-Sue Murray, who plays Gamora. “I didn’t want to be influenced because I knew we were going to do our own version.”
“The narrative team did such an incredible job of crafting a unique story and unique world that is completely separate from the comics and the MCU,” explained McLaren.
Much like the MCU Guardians, the game’s Peter Quill and his rag-tag band of space heroes are a loveable ensemble brimming with heart, humor, and barely-concealed contempt for one another. But the versions we ended up seeing became very much their own - leading to widespread critical praise, and even awards recognition.
At this week’s BAFTA Game Awards, Marvel’s
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