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Full of pop culture references, including iconic movies, James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy series is a fan-favorite in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). While Peter Quill’s references are concentrated in 1980s American culture, there are quite a few others scattered around.
Here are the eight classic movies alluded to in the famed James Gunn-directed series (in no particular order).
1. The Maltese Falcon (1941)
- Streaming On – Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+
- RT Score – 99%
- Director – John Juston
The film noir follows PI Sam Spade, who, while investigating the murder of his partner, encounters a statue, The Maltese Falcon. In the first movie of the MCU trilogy, Peter Quill describes the ‘Orb’ as having a ‘Maltese Falcon sort of vibe.’
2. North By Northwest (1959)
- Streaming On – Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+
- RT Score – 97%
- Director – Alfred Hitchcock
A classic spy thriller, this film deals with a case of mistaken identity as unknown agents hunt the protagonist. In the Guardian’s second installment, Nebula’s spaceship attempts to gun down Gamora (through a cornfield). This scene references a similar one where Roger Thornhill is chased by an airplane in the Hitchcock masterpiece.
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3. Mary Poppins (1964)
- Streaming On – JioHotstar, Disney+
- RT Score – 97%
- Director – Robert Stevenson
This Disney classic about an umbrella-wielding super nanny is timeless. Peter Quill calls Yondu ‘Mary Poppins’ when he harnesses his arrow’s power to fly, after which the blue Ravager utters the famous meme line, ‘I’m Mary Poppins, y’all!’
4. Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981)
- Streaming On – Netflix, JioHotstar, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+
- RT Score – 94%
- Director – Steven Spielberg
The first Indiana Jones film, Raiders, introduces viewers to the Ark of the Covenant, which the Nazis hoped to use to create an invincible army. Apart from their similar names, Guardians of the Galaxy has a very obvious tribute to Raiders when Quill compares the Ark to ‘The Orb.’
5. Footloose (1984)
- Streaming On – Apple TV+
- RT Score – 54%
- Director – Herbert Ross
In perhaps the most obvious nod, Quill is a fan of this classic film, going as far as calling it “a legend” while speaking about Kevin Bacon teaching a city that “dancing is the greatest thing there is.” That sums up Footloose well, giving fans an unforgettable scene in the first Guardians film.
6. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
- Streaming On – Amazon Prime Video
- RT Score – 91%
- Director – James Cameron
Judgement Day has two futuristic Terminators fighting each other to prevent a hostile AI from killing the leader of the Resistance when he was a child. Gamora steals a plane mid-air, throwing off its pilot, mirroring a scene from the Cameron classic. Meanwhile, when Drak addresses his past while speaking to Quill, he says, “Like when you told me you once met a man who could turn into a liquid metal serpent?” making it a direct reference to the T-1000, a liquid metal terminator from Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
7. The Usual Suspects (1995)
- Streaming On – Netflix, Amazon Prime Video
- RT Score – 87%
- Director – Bryan Singer
A crime thriller telling a survivor’s account of a bloodbath on a ship, The Usual Suspects has one of the most iconic character introductory sequences. James Gunn referenced this in the first Guardians film with his montage alongside a mugshot.
8. Metropolis (1927)
- Streaming On – PLEX
- RT Score – 97%
- Director – Fritz Lang
The precursor to modern sci-fi film Metropolis features Freder and Maria on opposite sides of a city divided by wealth, striving to unite people. While GOTG doesn’t directly reference Metropolis Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’s Ayesha bears a striking resemblance to a robot version of Metropolis’ Maria.
The Guardians of the Galaxy franchise also has other references to movies such as The Hangover (2009) and Cobra (1986), alongside other pop culture easter eggs.
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