Robert Downey Jr. Was James Gunn's Gold Standard For Casting Star-Lord In Guardians Of The Galaxy

Sometimes it's hard to remember that the Marvel Cinematic Universe wasn't always the mega-franchise it is now. Before all the Disney+ shows, theme parks, and "Avengers"-themed cruises, there was the humble beginning of Jon Faverau's "Iron Man." In what would end up being the blueprint for many more MCU movies to come, the first "Iron Man" film worked thanks to the passionate team behind it, and perhaps the most critical part of it all was the casting of Robert Downey Jr. in the role of Tony Stark. The actor would become synonymous with the character of Iron Man, and while the casting looks like a no-brainer now, back when the MCU was just starting, Downey was apparently the biggest risk when making the movie.

Needless to say, the risk paid off in spades. Downey's Iron Man would continue to grow and evolve, with new emotional weight behind every subsequent movie the character appeared in. Iron Man's character arc could even be considered the emotional crux of "Avengers: Endgame," which marked the end of the Infinity Saga. When James Gunn began casting for the first "Guardians of the Galaxy" movie for Phase 2, the director used the now-famous "Iron Man" casting as inspiration when looking for the most crucial role for his movie: Peter Quill, the Legendary Star-Lord.

In a 2014 interview with Movie Guide, James Gunn talked about the casting process for Peter Quill, the main character of the "Guardians" films. Gunn would describe searching far and wide for the right person to bring Quill to life, auditioning all sorts of actors, unknown or otherwise. The guiding light for the director was the inspired casting of "Iron Man," who he saw as an unconventional choice that not only stayed true to the spirit of the comics but also brought his unique angle to the character:

"We had screen tested 20 people of big stars and no names looking for the right person because I really wanted someone who could embody this character and take it beyond what was on the page, the same way Robert Downey Jr. did with Iron Man."

Eventually, it was Chris Pratt's audition that resonated with Gunn the most. The director would describe how he was immediately sold by Pratt's interpretation of the character, distinctly because of how comfortably the actor had made the character his own:

"Nobody blew me away. Plenty of people were really good. Maybe some people were great, but nobody blew me away. Then, Chris came in and started to read, and this is 100% true, that within 20 seconds, I was like, 'That's the guy!' That's who we've been looking for. He had this thing that was himself."

James Gunn had so much faith in Pratt as Star-Lord, not even the actor's at-the-time Andy Dwyer physique deterred the director from casting him. Just as Robert Downey Jr. was seemingly destined to play Tony Stark, so too was Chris Pratt meant to play Peter Quill. Gunn explained:

"Sometimes, a role and a person are meant for each other, and that's what I felt this was. I was like, 'He's the guy, chubby or not. If he's chubby [during the shoot], the world better get ready for the first chubby superhero.'"

The character of Star-Lord (expertly brought to life by Pratt) best exemplifies Gunn's passion for the "Guardians of the Galaxy" trilogy. In the role of Peter Quill, Pratt puts on display an interesting bravado for the larger-scale set pieces and a heartbreaking vulnerability for the more intimate scenes between characters. Powerful scenes come to mind, such as Peter's speech during Yondu's funeral in "Vol. 2" that delve deeper into the character's mindset and his drive to keep his found family together in the franchise. 

Like Downey's place in the "Avengers" movies, Pratt is the emotional center of Gunn's "Guardians" trilogy. If this final volume breaks the Hollywood curse, it will only solidify Gunn's casting aspirations and help make Pratt's Star-Lord as important to the cosmic corner of the MCU as Downey Jr. was to its early foundations.