With Marvel in full with swing with its post-Avengers phase two, there has been a steady stream of updates on its various projects and today we’ve got quite a lot. First up, for something that is 100% in the works, director James Gunn took to Facebook to confirm he is writing and directing the animated adventure of Guardians of the Galaxy. Check out his quote below for the film that’s due August 2014.

For a month or so there’s been a lot of Internet speculation about my involvement with Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. Until now I haven’t said anything, because I’m trying to be less expulsive about this project than I am about the rest of my life. But last night I got the go-ahead from Kevin Feige to let you all know that, yes, indeed, I am rewriting and directing Guardians of the Galaxy. As a lifelong lover of Marvel comics, space epics, AND raccoons, this is the movie I’ve been waiting to make since I was nine years old. Kevin, Joss, and all the folks at Marvel have been amazing collaborators so far, and we’re committed to bringing you something majestic, beautiful, and unique. I am incredibly excited. I am also incredibly grateful to the fans and the press for all their words of encouragement and support regarding my involvement with this project since the news first leaked. Thanks – you have, honestly, touched and overwhelmed me. And that’s it for now. Other than the occasional photos of my dog and cat here on Facebook, I’ll talk to you again in August 2014 when Guardians is released!

Next up, we’ve got details from Chris Evans on both Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Thor: The Dark World. The actor sat down with Collider to reveal that the basis of many deleted scenes involving his character in The Avengers will be explored in his sequel. He said that Joss Whedon‘s film had  ”so much to cram in” that this follow-up will explore “him trying to on a personal level adjust to the fact that everyone he knows is gone and the whole Peggy Carter of it all. There are a lot of things that he kind of has to come to terms with.”

He was also seen fighting alongside Chris Hemsworth‘s Thor in this year’s big blockbuster and said he’s talked with the actor about joining for a brief cameo in the currently shooting Thor: The Dark World, but “it is obviously going to be tricky trying to work out the plot, the reason why I am not there to help him, and why he is not there to help me.” Sounds like it may be wishful thinking, but hopefully something comes of it. Another piece of the Marvel universe that isn’t clear lies with a female lead for the Captain America sequel, but the rumored Anna Kendrick recently told AICN that she can’t say anything about it, hinting at the fact that something could be in the works, but stay tuned for confirmation on that.

Lastly, we’ve been curious as to which characters will be added to Joss Whedon‘s The Avengers 2 and while there are some strong possibilities, Marvel co-president Louis D’Esposito recently told Cinepremiere (via CBM) that we can expect just “one or two new” ones. One that could certainly join the team would be Ant-Man, set to get a standalone film from Edgar Wright after he finishing The World’s End, but we’ll have to wait and see on just how many superheroes will be stacked up for this film, due in 2015.

What do you think of all this Marvel news? Which film are you most-anticipating?