GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3 Star Sean Gunn Suggests The Threequel Will Be Last Time He Plays Rocket

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will serve as James Gunn's farewell to the MCU, and the DC Studios co-CEO is gearing up to go out on a high. 

Unfortunately, we expect there to be some casualties in the threequel and Rocket is a character fans are definitely concerned about. The trailers certainly want us to believe his days are numbered and fuel has been added to the fire thanks to recent comments from Sean Gunn.

The Kraglin actor serves as Rocket's stand-in on set with Bradley Cooper later lending his voice to the sentient raccoon in the recording booth. However, it appears Vol. 3 will be where he bids farewell to the beloved character. 

Talking to Empire Magazine (via The Direct), Gunn admitted that it's "a lot harder" to play Rocket now he's older - it was roughly a decade ago when Guardians of the Galaxy was shot - and added that the threequel is his "swan song as Rocket."

That appears to confirm he will no longer perform motion capture/reference for the hero, though it doesn't necessarily mean it's because Rocket's story ends here. 

Gunn is set to join his brother in the DCU as Creature Commandos' Weasel and will likely take on another role beyond that. His MCU departure shouldn't matter too much even if the actor has played an undeniably critical role in bringing this character to life on screen; after all, there are lots of talented mo-cap performers working in Hollywood. 

In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, our beloved band of misfits are looking a bit different these days. Peter Quill, still reeling from the loss of Gamora, must rally his team around him to defend the universe along with protecting one of their own. A mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 arrives in theaters on May 5, 2023.