'Guardians of the Galaxy' animated series release date: Marvel expands TV universe

To "Guardians of the Galaxy" fans who are aching to see more of the exploits of Star Lord and his gang of alien misfits turned superheroes, your prayers have been answered.

This year's summer blockbuster which has so far grossed $655 whopping million worldwide, will invade the small screen sometime in 2015 as part of Disney XD's "Marvel Universe" block of programming.

The TV series will take off from where the movie ended. It will follow the adventures of Peter Quill (aka Star Lord), the thief and bold explorer who has just saved the universe from its greatest threats after joining forces with a group of unlikely superheroes – fan-favorite Rocket Raccoon, tree-like humanoid Groot, the enigmatic expert fighter Gamora, and the rough-edged warrior Drax the Destroyer.

Marvel co-producer Stephen Wacker said the super-villain Thanos will figure prominently in the TV series.

The "Guardians" TV series will expand Marvel's universe in the small screen as it joins "Agents of SHIELD" and "Agent Carter," as well as other animated shows including "Avengers Assemble," "Hulk," and the "Agents of SMASH."

Disney XD is also beefing up its proven titles, having recently renewed its "Star Wars Rebels" for a second season.

If next year's animated "Guardian" TV series is still not enough for the fans, then the planned sequel to the 2014 movie, which is set for release on July 28, 2017, may satiate the hunger. Chris Pratt will reprise the role of Peter Quill, Bradley Cooper as Rocket Raccoon, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Vin Diesel as Groot and Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer.

Marvel made a huge gamble on "Guardians" but it paid off handsomely. Unlike other Marvel superhero films like "Iron Man," "Captain America" and "Avengers," the "Guardians" was an obscure comic book property and a risky choice for a stand-alone movie. Just two years ago, many people had no idea who the Guardians of the Galaxy were.

But to everyone's amazement the "Guardians" drew rave reviews worldwide when it opened last August. It took an astounding $94 million in earnings in just one month, thus becoming the largest August movie opening in film history and the biggest movie release of 2014.

Now, Star-Lord and his gang are the hottest rising stars in Hollywood, including Groot who is now everyone's best friend.

"The movie and franchise quickly became a worldwide phenomenon. We're looking forward to working with the great team at Marvel Television to deliver an engaging animated series that fans can enjoy each week," said Marc Buhaj, senior VP for programming and general manager at Disney XD.

"This is a very exciting time for the Marvel Animation Studio as we get to explore the cosmic side of the Marvel Universe by developing the first-ever Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy animated series," said Jeph Loeb, head of Marvel Television.