The science fiction film Guardians of the Galaxy won the box office on Labor Day weekend. The blockbuster starring Zoe Saldana, Chris Pratt, and Vin Diesel was a summer success critically and commercially. It was the top choice for audiences this holiday weekend, over As Above So Below and The November Man. The movie has held strong in theatres since being released on August 1, crossing the $500 million mark. It is based on the Marvel Comics team of the same name.

Directed by James Gunn, Guardians tells the story of a team of superheroes trying to save the world. After Peter Quill steals an orb from outer space, he becomes the target of Ronan the Accuser, who leads a manhunt against him. Quill gathers his team to fight this power from the galaxy. With strong material and impressive special effects, the film has become a major hit and the biggest film for 2014. It has action, humor and heart to make it yet another blockbuster in the string of successful films based on Marvel Comics. A sequel is planned and will be released in 2017. Saldana stars in two other science fiction series-Star Trek and Avatar.

After Labor Day weekend, Guardians will surpass Captain America: The Winter Soldier. It helped a summer that saw lackluster sales at the box office. Ironman star Robert Downey Jr. called it the best Marvel movie yet. The film was released by Disney, which helped with marketing. Competition was rather weak, which helped Guardians claim the top spot in theatres. Marvel Studios has more films to produce, and if the success of Guardians is any indication, the sequel is anticipated to be a blockbuster as well. It was a hit with Labor Day weekend moviegoers, and with luck, 2017 will see another Guardians hit.