Guardians of the Galaxy Officially Begins Production

, which has been in active production including makeup tests and shooting test footage for a while now, officially launched principal photography today, according to Walt Disney Studios.Marvel Studios has started shooting at the UK’s Shepperton Studios.  Directed by James Gunn from his screenplay, with a story by Nicole Perlman and Gunn, the film will introduce audiences to a whole new side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  The cast includes Chris Pratt as Peter Quill aka Star-Lord, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer, Lee Pace as Ronan the Accuser, Michael Rooker as Yondu, Karen Gillan as Nebula, two-time Academy Award nominee Djimon Hounsou as Korath, with Academy Award winner Benicio del Toro as The Collector,  Academy Award nominee John C. Reilly as Rhomann Dey, and six-time Academy Award nominee Glenn Close as Nova Prime.Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is slated for an August 1, 2014 release in the U.S.