Last year at San Diego Comic-Con, I had the chance to ask one of the few questions during Marvel’s GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY press junket. Allow to elaborate on just exactly how big of a deal this was. First off, understand that in these press junkets, which usually last no more than 15 minutes or so, they take random questions from the hundreds of journalists in the room… usually just a handful of questions get asked, and the saddest part is on the larger panels with several people, it’s almost always the norm that only one of two of the talent attending actually gets a chance to say anything. I sat through several of these press junkets, and time after time watched as large panels filled with several accomplished actors seemed wasted when only one or two were engaged by the press. So I guess you could say I reached a breaking point, and figured there had to be some way to get everyone to speak. One of the last press junkets I attended was the GUARDIANS panel, which had director James Gunn, along with cast members Benicio Del Toro (The Collector), Karen Gillan (Nebula), Chris Pratt (Peter Quill / Star-Lord), Zoe Saldana (Gamora), Dave Bautista (Drax the Destroyer), Lee Pace (Ronan the Accuser), Djimon Hounsou (Korath the Pursuer), and Michael Rooker (Yondu), plus Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige. It’s reached a point where the folks who run these panels know me, and know I’ll (usually) ask a good question… and I guess you could say this was my moment of genius for the day. I found a way to get pretty much everyone to talk. You can hear a woman behind me emphatically say “Thank you” after I asked the question, and I even had people coming up to me afterward showing appreciation for having the forethought to ask what I did. Anyway, I’m sure several other news outlets and websites gladly mined these answers for their own reports, but just know it was our question that got them all talking, and talk they did for 10 solid minutes. Even James Gunn weighed in. Please note, this video was shot before they announced the voice casting of both Bradley Cooper (as Rocket Raccoon) and Vin Diesel (as Groot). And as to why it took me so long to post it, I don’t know, I guess I was hoping a trailer would be out by now. But until then, enjoy listening to most of the principal stars of the film talk about their respective characters… I know I did.
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
