For some of us, James Gunn‘s the Guardians of the Galaxy is one of the most anticipated films of 2013. We’ve seen somewhat of an evolution of the five heroes that make up the group of interstellar convicts. But hours before we ring in the new year, Disney released a Motion Pictures’ slate for their upcoming 2014 release schedule. In it was the first official image from the film featuring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, and Dave Bautista as Star Lord, Gamora, and Drax The Destroyer respectively. Also included in the image are Rocket Raccon and Groot, who will be voiced by Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel.

The image may be familiar to a few of us since it’s pulled from the footage that was seen at the San Diego Comic-Con and D23 expo earlier this year. But for those who haven’t seen it, you can check it out plus read the synopsis of the film below.

Here’s the synopsis of the film:

From Marvel, the studio that brought you the global blockbuster franchises of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Avengers, comes a new team “” the Guardians of the Galaxy. An action-packed, epic space adventure, Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmos, where brash adventurer Peter Quill finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe. To evade the ever-persistent Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits “” Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon, Groot, a tree-like humanoid, the deadly and enigmatic Gamora and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer. But when Peter discovers the true power of the orb and the menace it poses to the cosmos, he must do his best to rally his ragtag rivals for a last, desperate stand “” with the galaxy’s fate in the balance. Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” is presented by Marvel Studios. The film releases August 1, 2014, and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Also starring Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillian, John C. Reilly, Glenn Close, and Benicio Del Toro, Disney will release Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy on August 1, 2013.

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[Source: Disney]