Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is set to be the most emotional film in the trilogy as fans say goodbye to their favorite band of misfits. During a recent interview, director James Gunn revealed that this film’s plot was originally going to be the premise of a spin-off focused on Rocket Raccoon and Groot.
It’s no secret to fans that James Gunn considered Rocket Raccoon the secret protagonist of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. In fact, Gunn recently revealed that Rocket’s backstory was one of the very first things he came up with when writing the first movie, saying that it served as the underpinning of the entire franchise:
“And I thought about, ‘Well, okay, if there was a talking space raccoon, how would he have come to exist?’ And as I mused upon it, I started thinking about how this was the saddest creature in the universe, and that was actually the seed to me for the entire Guardians trilogy,” Gunn told io9. “That was my way into it, this underpinning of just isolation and sadness, and all of these characters are isolated and sad. So I knew what Rocket’s backstory was from that moment before I had come up with the rest of that stuff for Vol. 1. It was the first thing I came up with.”
Of course, the first Guardians of the Galaxy film focused on the story of Peter Quill, a.k.a. Star-Lord, played by Chris Pratt. Even if it didn’t, fans may not have exactly been receptive to the space raccoon’s origin being revealed right out of the gate. James Gunn knew that he had to finish Quill’s story before getting to Rocket and Groot, meaning that Rocket’s origin would need to be told in a sequel. The question was, would that film be a Guardians movie, or a Rocket and Groot spin-off:
“I always thought it was a third movie thing because I thought we had to tell Peter Quill’s story first and then get into Rocket’s story,” He continued. “I think the only question was, was it going to be a Rocket and Groot movie or was it going to be Guardians 2—because initially, I was going to do it as Rocket and Groot.”
A Rocket and Groot spin-off is something fans have been asking for for years. In fact, the two even got their own one season run of a show titled Rocket & Groot on Disney XD. While the two best friends may not be getting their own film, the thought that they’ll serve as the center for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 should assure fans this final film will be a ride to remember.
What to expect from the third Guadians movie
Written and directed by James Gunn, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Elizabeth Debicki, Sean Gunn, Sylvester Stallone, Will Poulter, Chukwudi Iwuji and Maria Bakalova.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 synopsis reads as follows: “Our beloved band of misfits are settling into life on Knowhere, but it isn’t long before their lives are upended by the echoes of Rocket’s turbulent past. Peter Quill, still reeling from the loss of Gamora, must rally his team around him on a dangerous mission to save Rocket’s life – a mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.”
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