The first Guardians of the Galaxy movie could have sounded a lot different if writer-director James Gunn hadn’t ignored what he considers to be one of the worst notes he’s ever received.
What was the worst note James Gunn ever received for Guardians of the Galaxy?
While responding to some questions on the social media platform Threads, Gunn was asked to share the worst note he had ever received for one of his movies. “I was told no one would like the Guardians soundtrack and I should change it to Britney Spears like 90’s songs. I don’t know if it’s the worst but it’s the one I remember the most!” Gunn recalled.
The soundtrack for Gunn’s 2014 superhero movie featured songs that were part of the mixtape that was in Peter Quill’s possession when he was taken by the Ravagers. Since he was a child when he left Earth, all of the songs are from the 1960s and 1970s. Despite someone at Marvel not thinking the soundtrack would be a hit, the opposite happened, with the album reaching #1 on the US Billboard 200 chart, which marked the first time that a soundtrack album consisting entirely of previously released songs had topped the chart
The soundtrack album not only ended up being certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America but was the second best-selling soundtrack album of 2014 in the United States, behind Disney’s Frozen. The movie’s soundtrack also introduced a whole new generation to such hits as “Hooked on a Feeling” by Blue Swede and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell.
The Guardians of the Galaxy movies ultimately became known for their soundtracks, with 2017’s Vol. 2 and 2023’s Vol. 3 notably featuring the songs “Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra and “Dog Days Are Over” by Florence and the Machine, respectively.
The Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy is available to stream on Disney+.