Could Things Have Been Different?

So, picture this: you’ve got the dark and mysterious DC movie universe in one hand, and in the other, a wild, cosmic ride like Guardians of the Galaxy. Guess who’s sailing that ship of madness? None other than the quirky James Gunn! It’s hard not to think of him when you hear ‘Guardians’. I mean, who else would strut into the studio and declare, “Let’s make a raccoon and a tree the superheroes of a Disney blockbuster?” The man has guts, that’s for sure!

Meet Dan Trachtenberg: The Nearly Man

But hang on a second! Here’s a plot twist straight out of a Hollywood flick! Dan Trachtenberg, the mad genius behind Predator: Badlands, recently dropped a juicy bomb on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. He was once in the running to direct that very first Guardians of the Galaxy flick! Yup, he was exploring that cosmic realm before Gunn added his sprinkle of stardust!

Dan recounts a little rendezvous with producer Jeremy Latcham at Marvel Studios, and believes it or not, he caught the eye of Kevin Feige himself! They were all like, “Ooooh, creative energy!” But alas, the job slipped right through his fingers like sand. And to be fair, James Gunn did a stellar job! Still, how cool would it have been?

Dan’s Playground of Creativity

Let’s take a moment to appreciate Trachtenberg’s wild creativity. This is a guy who decided that a Predator movie needed a furry sidekick, and boy, was he right! His short film, Portal: No Escape, was so good it got him the attention he deserved. And since then, he’s been shaking things up in the Predator franchise with unexpected twists! Sending the Yautja to the 18th century? Genius!

The Roots of Guardians’ Charm

Now about that quirky love for Z-list heroes we all adore from Guardians. While James Gunn did weave his magic, the roots run much deeper. The first film’s co-writer, Nicole Perlman, played a HUGE role in bringing that weirdness to life. Before it was all shiny and reimagined, the Guardians were just an oddball bunch of future Avengers, brawling in space against the Badoon!

In 2006, Marvel snagged Keith Giffen to breathe fresh life into their cosmic saga, and out popped Abnett and Lanning, transforming those space nobodies into fan favorites! Drax was revamped from a Hulk-lovin’ dude in a purple cape to a stoic badass. Star-Lord ditched his old gig as a Buck Rogers wannabe to become a heartfelt hero, and Groot? Our beloved tree was reborn as a flora friend who can only say, “I am Groot.” Classic!

The Final Thoughts: What If?

So, what if Dan Trachtenberg had taken the helm of Guardians of the Galaxy? Could we have seen a zany spin with his unique flair? Both he and Gunn have carved their niche in the industry and made us chuckle, cry, and cheer! But kudos to how it all turned out. Just imagine the funky weirdness Trachtenberg could have brewed if he got a second shot at superheroes!

Catch Predator: Badlands in theaters now!