Marvel Studios testing several actors for Guardians of the Galaxy's Star-Lord

With both Iron Man 3 and Thor: The Dark World currently in production ahead of their release next year, you would think that the folks at Marvel Studios would have their hands full at the moment, but the studio is already turning its attention towards the line-up of 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy, with Deadline revealing a potential shortlist for the role of Peter Quill, a.k.a. Star-Lord.

According to Deadline, Marvel has made test deals with a number of actors for the role of the Guardians'half-human / half-alien leader, with the shortlist said to include Joel Edgerton (Zero Dark Thirty), Jack Huston (Boardwalk Empire), Jim Sturgess (Cloud Atlas), Lee Pace (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey) and Eddie Redmayne (Les Miserables). Also thought to be in contention are Garrett Hedlund (Tron: Legacy), James Marsden (X-Men) and Sullivan Stapleton (Animal Kingdom).

Guardians of the Galaxy is set to be directed by James Gunn (Slither, Super) and is currently scheduled to arrive in cinemas on August 1st, 2014.