New Guardians of the Galaxy Trailer Takes Fresh Tack

A new UK trailer for ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ has arrived and it indicates that Marvel is taking the marketing of the film in a whole new direction.

Up to now, all the trailers for James Gunn’s sci-fi adventure have emphasised the goofy comedic side of the film, but this new trailer is a completely different beast. Watch it above.

Heavy on story and drama, this new UK ad differs markedly in tone to previous efforts. Rather than spending time introducing the team as earlier trailers did, more emphasis is placed on the narrative drive of the film, and the imminent threat posed to the wider universe.

"Our worlds are facing an unstoppable threat" intones John C Reilly, suggesting that Earth itself is in danger.

This new tack seems to suggest that Marvel is looking to realign the perception of the film with the general public. Based on a very niche comic in the Marvel world, ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ has been labelled the studio’s riskiest film yet, thanks to an absence of recognisable characters, and its cosmic setting (the film plays out in space, light years away from the world of ‘The Avengers’).

For a studio that is only known for its Earth-bound superhero adventures, an original science fiction film like ‘Guardians’ could be a tough sell to the uninitiated. The past few years have been littered with high profile summer sci-fi flops including ‘John Carter’, ‘After Earth’, and ‘Edge of Tomorrow’, so this new trailer’s “From the studio that brought you…” intro is a smart move.

The marketers will be hoping that brand recognition, coupled with the new story-driven approach in the trailer can draw in the established Marvel crowd and make James Gunn’s film a big hit.

'Guardians of the Galaxy' starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana and Glenn Close is in cinemas from 31 July, 2014.