It’s shaping up to be a good year for James Gunn, whose long-awaited Marvel sequel "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" arrives in theaters in May. But at the moment he's promoting “The Belko Experiment,” a low-budget horror film directed by Greg McLean ("Wolf Creek") that Gunn wrote years ago.
RELATED: "Thor: Rangarok" will set up "Avengers: Infinity War"
Although he’s wearing his writer’s hat during the current round of interviews, and focusing on the process of bringing back to life a project he abandoned in 2007, Gunn is also fielding questions about the Guardians of the Galaxy, and their role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Specifically, he addressed how Marvel’s B-list heroes will tie in to the company’s A-team in “Avengers: Infinity War.”
"You know listen, I don't think we should overstate things, that it is an Avengers movie," he told Complex, "but the Guardians are a part of the cosmic universe, they're a part of Thanos' stories, so, they are in there, and they have, not the biggest, but, an integral part to that."
RELATED: James Gunn Reveals Ego's Powers in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2"
Opening May 4, 2018, “Avengers: Infinity War” is the culmination of a story that began with 2008’s "Iron Man." In the style of a comic book crossover, it pits the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe against Thanos, the Mad Titan, who is attempting to collect the six Infinity Stones, and to then wield the Infinity Gauntlet.
Directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo, “Avengers: Infinity War” stars and ensemble cast that includes Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Chris Pratt, Jeremy Renner, Benedict Cumberbatch, Brie Larson, Josh Brolin, Karen Gillan, Zoe Saldana, Tom Holland and Pom Klementieff.
Written and directed by Gunn, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Elizabeth Debicki, Chris Sullivan, Sean Gunn and Kurt Russell. The film opens May 5.