Starting today, the members of the United States space force will be called Guardians. The name shares a striking similarity with the Marvel Cinemantic Universe movies, Guardians of the Galaxy. As soon as it was announced that the space force would be called Guardians, several internet users, including writer-director James Gunn, took to the internet to show their disdain.

United States Space Force
United States Space ForceUnited States Space Force (@SpaceForceDoD/Twitter)

American Vice President Mike Pence announced on Friday, and the United States Space Force official Twitter handle announced that the name was settled on by space professionals after a yearlong research process.

"The opportunity to name a force is a momentous responsibility," the U.S. Space Force tweeted. "Guardians is a name with a long history in space operations, tracing back to the original command motto of Air Force Space Command in 1983, 'Guardians of the High Frontier.'"

United States Space Force
United States Space ForceUnited States Space Force (@SpaceForceDoD/Twitter)

As soon as the news surfaced, Twitter immediately reacted, and several went on to compare it with Chris Pratt-starrer Guardians of the Galaxy movie. In addition to this, one tweet pointed out that the Space Force symbol also has similarities to the Star Trek movie logo.

Guardians of the Galaxy movie writer-director James Gunn was among those who thought that the similarity between the name and his films was a little uncanny, tweeting, "Can we sue this dork?"

United States Space Force
James GunnJames Gunn Twitter

Check out other such reactions below:

United States Space Force
United States Space ForceTwitter
United States Space Force
United States Space ForceTwitter

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 details:

It was announced in 2017 that James Gunn would return to write and direct Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. However, in July 2018, he was asked to leave the Disney and Marvel project following the resurfacing of old controversial tweets where Gunn joked about topics such as pedophilia and rape.

After James Gunn's firing, the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3 project was put on hold for several months. After some reconsideration, Disney and Marvel Studios reversed course and reinstated Gunn as director. However, by then, he got busy with DC's Suicide Squad reboot.

Pom Klementieff as Mantis Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2/ Marvel Studios Youtube trailer screenshot

James Gunn announced in November 2020 that he has finished writing the script, and the principal photography is expected to begin in 2021. If everything works out in Gunn's favor, then Vol. 3 is scheduled to be released somewhere in 2023.