After months of campaigning for the role of Rocket Raccoon in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, director James Gunn’s longtime friend and collaborator Michael Rooker was unsurprisingly revealed recently to be joining the space epic adaptation. Reportedly set to play Yondu Udonta, one of the original Guardians, The Walking Dead alum was asked about the project during Fan Expo Vancouver 2013 (via Comic Book). “Guardians of the Galaxy is a comic book series based on superhero-type guys that help protect humankind and all kinds of life that live out in the galaxies,” the actor responded, when an Expo attendee asked about the project. Before letting out an evil laugh, he added, “they kill bad guys and shit like that. I’m not at liberty to say anything other than that!”
Rooker was then asked about his mohawk, a look he and his Guardians character already, sort of, have in common. He said, “I dig it, and I can’t tell you what it’s for. None of your business.” About director James Gunn, Rooker offered, “he is the most prepared director that I’ve ever known. He’s a good friend now. We’ve been friends ever since Slither, and he’s a joy to work with. He’s an excellent writer, a very well-prepared director. He comes in and talks with you. It helps a lot to have a director who knows what the hell he wants out of a scene as opposed to someone who’s over there in the corner going like ‘I’m not sure how to shoot it.’ Gunn’s not like that at all.”
Marvel Studios presents “Guardians of the Galaxy”—A big space epic featuring an unlikely cast of Marvel characters, including Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax the Destroyer, Groot and Rocket Raccoon, who must team up in order to defeat a cosmic force of epic proportions. Starring Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista and Zoe Saldana and directed by James Gunn from a screenplay by James Gunn, “Guardians of the Galaxy” is based on the Marvel comic book series “Guardians of the Galaxy,” first published in 1969 and relaunched in 2008. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures will distribute “Guardians of the Galaxy” on August 1, 2014. In addition to “Guardians of the Galaxy”, Marvel Studios will release “Iron Man 3” on May 3, 2013; “Thor: The Dark World ” on November 8, 2013; “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” on April 4, 2014; the sequel to “Marvel's The Avengers” on May 1, 2015; and “Ant-Man” on November 6, 2015!