There Are 600 Different Versions of Guardians of the Galaxy 3

Director James Gunn shoots 600 different versions of "Guardians of the Galaxy 3."

Director, James Gunn, wants to take full advantage of the different multiple aspect ratios available in today’s theaters when Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 opens May 5, in theaters. To do that, he took a very ambitious approach -- he created several versions of the movie for a more custom experience in type of theater configuration.

“It’s definitely the most complex delivery Marvel’s ever done,” Evan Jacobs, Disney’s vp of finishing and stereo, told The Hollywood Reporter. The creative goal, says Jacobs, was to “give every exhibitor in the United States and in most international territories [the ability to] maximize their screen size for the audience. So wherever you go to see it, you’re gonna see the best version.”

The versions are catered to the format of each theater’s screens, but it goes beyond that. Gunn says, ‘I’m gonna pop in and out creatively and you’ll suddenly see something more immersive and bigger, that’s going to fill your screen,'”

Gunn designed it, shot and framed it with different aspect ratios in mind.  Sometimes the moments were selected based on the visuals but there were no real rules. “Sometimes it’s the music, sometimes it’s what’s happening, sometimes it’s whatever.” Jacobs added that the “really cool” 3D version also takes particular advantage of the variable framing options.

Aspect ratio is something that James Gunn enjoys using in his the storytelling process. He also created Imax versions with variable aspect ratios for the first two Guardians movies (additional Marvel productions had since experimented with Imax, he reports). This time, the director wanted this to be more widely available.

The team also created a version of Guardians 3 that only uses the 2.39 aspect ratio for certain “traditional theaters” and select Dolby Cinema auditoriums; and they mastered an Imax 1.90 version, designed specifically for the more square-aspect ratio of Imax auditoriums.

Gunn is taking a page from James Cameron and Jon Landau’s playbook (who created an unprecedented 1,065 versions of Avatar: The Way of Water). He uses combinations of 3D, HDR, 4K, different light levels, aspect ratios and high frame rates, to offer a customized experience for each type of theater configuration.

Apparently, it’s not uncommon for Marvel releases to have 500 versions - Guardians 3 tops 600!

It takes time to do, but Marvel has almost become legendary in the postproduction community for pushing hard on deadlines, and waiting till the last minute to make the movie as great as they could possibly make it.

I'm sure it will all make sense when you see it, and I'm sure because of all the different versions, it will also transfer to streaming even better!

Watch the trailer - and see it in theaters beginning May 5.

Here are some HUGE movies, that are are considered by many to be the most "overrated" movies of all time.

Beautiful visually, but that was about it. No memorable story, no cultural impact.

This beat Saving Private Ryan for best picture, and Gwyneth Paltrow won Best Actress over Cate Blanchett’s performance in Elizabeth. Stop it!!

Many just don't understand why she took Noah over Lon. "Lon was everything — he was sweet, smart, caring, loving." 

One comment summed it up: "It's just Leonardo DiCaprio grunting and being tortured the entire time, and that got him his first Oscar?"

Sandra Bullock falls for 2 hours. Everyone raved about it and how amazing it was. I once described the entire film to someone in 10 seconds."

Interesting take from a few people. In so many words: "As a kid when that came out, it was great. As an adult watching it, it's a bunch of spoiled rich kids not being held accountable for their actions." "They skipped school, hacked the school's computer system, faked a grandma's death, and destroyed an extremely valuable car." As many become adults, some things lose their luster, I guess.

Several of the same words used by different people to describe this one:" Everything in it is so predictable and cliché. Just awful."

A tough sentiment for people who loved the movie, but perhaps true: "Forrest Gump is just about a guy who does stuff throughout the second half of the 20th century in America. There is no way it should have won Best Picture - especially that year." "Jenny is a single mom, who tries to make the world a better place, and they let her DIE?"

I will always love this movie, personally, but interesting what some said: "It's not a bad film; in fact, it's a good film, but it's the Coldplay of cinema (great line!)." And, "If you tell me your favorite film is The Shawshank Redemption, I'm going to immediately wish I wasn't having a conversation about movies with you."