James Gunn Explains Why 'Guardians Of The Galaxy 2' Comic-Con Footage Won't Be Online Soon

Ever since the Marvel Studios panel happened at Comic-Con this past Saturday, fans have been clamoring to find out when the footage that played for those lucky enough to be in Hall would be online. People who waited in the line the previous night and into the morning were treated to the first footage from Spider-Man: Homecoming, a hilarious mockumentary and behind the scenes sizzle reel from Thor: Ragnarok, a new Doctor Strange trailer (which you can actually watch), and an entire scene and teaser trailer from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

So when can you see this footage? The short answer is that it won't be online anytime soon, and some of it may never be online in the form that it was shown in Hall H. But director James Gunn wants to make sure you know why the footage is being held back, and he explained as much in a video on Facebook, where he also put up a long post explaining all of the secrets revealed in the Guardians of the Galaxy 2 Comic-Con footage and panel. Find out what he had to say below.

First of all, in a Facebook Live video made the day after the panel happened at Comic-Con, James Gunn explained why fans at home won't see the footage soon:

"Of course I want to share with you guys everything. It's important for me to be able to do that. But here's the thing, the footage we released at Comic-Con will eventually be seen by he pubic but in a more finished form. It's very early days. We've only been stopped shooting for a month. We presented an entire huge scene with Yondu, Rocket and Baby Groot, and then we also presented a special glimpse just for San Diego Comic-Con, a teaser trailer of sorts.

The visual effects are not finished. I am a perfectionist. People who have followed know that everything needs to be exactly as I want it to be to be seen in a film, so that it stands up to repeated viewings. The truth is this Comic-Con footage...it's not something that I nor Marvel are comfortable with being out there and standing up to repeated viewings, because the visual effects just aren't finished. If I do something I want to do it 100% correctly.

However, to sit in the audience, one time, and show them an in-progress piece of film, it's a different story. It's just like if you were a friend of mine, you might come over to my house and I might show you a little bit of the movie. Or I might be in the editing room and show you a little piece."

This is exactly why studios are worried about footage being pirated in Hall H. They know that any footage that leaks will get publicity, which is always good, but this just isn't the kind of footage they want to be held under the scrutiny of repeated viewings. That's especially true when plenty of websites (ours included) pore over footage for these kind of movies frame-by-frame to pick up on any details that might be missed the first time.

Plus, Comic-Con should be a place where the fans who wait in line for hours overnight are rewarded for their dedication. It's a place where you can get a sneak peek at the properties you love because you put in the time to be there in-person. There are plenty of reporters and bloggers like us who have to wait in line just like everyone else, and we all just want to experience something special together that isn't just leaked online a few hours later.

Just take solace in knowing that you'll get a teaser trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 sometime before the end of the year. If anything, I'd bet the first one will arrive with Doctor Strange, if not a little bit before then. Otherwise, Guardians of the Galaxy 2 arrives on May 5, 2017.