On May 4,Star Warsfans around the world celebratedStar WarsDay, which saw social media flooded with messages, images of the films, cosplay, and “May the 4th Be With You” memes.Guardians of the Galaxydirector James Gunn also joined in on the celebrations and revealed how theStar Warsfranchise has been an inspiration for him growing up.
On his official Twitter account, Gunn confessed that the huge franchise created by Lucasfilm had changed his life by providing him a “template for where the imagination could go,” while sharingStar Wars-inspired posters for one of the most popular Marvel films,Guardians of the Galaxy. The posters were created by artist Matt Ferguson, who designed them to honor George Lucas' original films.
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One of Gunn’s followers asked him what his favorite piece of media related to the epic space saga was and the director immediately confirmed it wasStar Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. It is one of the many games created by LucasArts for the franchise but was also the first computer role-playing game set in theStar Warsuniverse. Initially released in 2003, the game allowed players to choose the way the story progressed, and based on their decisions, they would either be a servant of the “light side of the Force or the dark side.” A remake of the popular game could potentially be in the works.
Fans found it interesting to see that Gunn chose to share posters representing theGuardians of the Galaxyfilms, as, in the past, the movie’s characters have been compared to those fromStar Wars. While both franchises now share the same parent company of Disney, at the time of their release, theStar Warsfilms were under a completely different banner. But, despite that, it isn’t surprising that the two have a lot of things in common, especially with Gunn taking a lot ofinspiration from theStar Warsfilms, which have set a benchmark for science fiction movies set in space.
WhenGuardians of the Galaxyfirst released in 2014, fans thought Peter Quill/Star-Lord was the modern-day Han Solo. Both play a version of a space cowboy, suitably equipped in leather, with a quirky sense of humor, and usually ending up on the wrong side of the law. Both movie franchises have similar tones, representing stories of outlaw misfits going on a mission to save the universe. Each of the films had iconic spaceships, prison breaks, loveable furry characters, and similar villains.
Gunn is currently working onPeacemakerfor HBO Max, but once it is complete, work onGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3will begin. The third installment in the franchise will release in theaters in May 2023, as Marvel Studios recently revealed inthe Phase 4 MCU sizzle reel.
TheStar Warssaga is now available on Disney Plus andGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3releases on July 29, 2025.
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