James Gunn Had To Fight For One Guardians Of The Galaxy Actor

Since Guardians of the Galaxy debuted, the intergalactic franchise has become one of the most popular Marvel Studios has churned out. Stars like Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldana helped bring the ragtag team to life, and Vin Diesel even got fans fawning over his role’s limited dialogue. Even characters like Yondu managed to turn over a loyal fanbase thanks to the sly charms of Michael Rooker. However, it seems like Marvel Studios wasn’t always on-board with the actor’s casting. In a recent interview, the star admitted director James Gunn had to fight for his part in the film.
Talking with USA Today, Rooker said he didn’t think Marvel Studios saw him as a first choice.
“I don’t think I was Marvel’s first choice. I’m sure there are many other stars and actors that would have brought in more money. I wasn’t in the room when he was convincing them, but I would bet you my right arm that he had my back in a big way,” he explained.
Of course, Rooker is not the only actor which Marvel Studios has been hesitant to cast. When the Marvel Cinematic Universe was still in pre-production, Jon Favreau fought hard for Robert Downey Jr. to be cast as Tony Stark. Fans have since come to view the actor and Iron Man as one in the same given Downey’s spot-on take of the superhero. Rooker has also snagged a similar hold over Yondu for Guardians of the Galaxy fans.
So, when it comes to MCU casting, it seems like a director’s hunch has become a sacred thing. Fans can’t imagine the franchise housing any other actor as Iron Man much like Rooker cannot be replaced as Yondu. Other stars such as Chris Evans have become the real-life equivalents of Marvel’s most famous heroes. When the day comes that the MCU must recast some of its biggest stars, millions of fans will be left bereft by the massive change. Hopefully, for Guardians of the Galaxy fans, they won’t have to worry about Rooker getting replaced for quite some time.
Set to the backdrop of ‘Awesome Mixtape #2,’ Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 continues the team’s adventures as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos. The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mysteries of Peter Quill’s true parentage. Old foes become new allies and fan-favorite characters from the classic comics will come to our heroes’ aid as the Marvel cinematic universe continues to expand.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is written and directed by James Gunn (Slither). The film marks the return of the original Guardians, including Chris Pratt (Jurassic World) as Peter Quill/Star-Lord; Zoe Saldana (Star Trek Into Darkness) as Gamora; Dave Bautista (Spectre) as Drax; Vin Diesel (Furious 7) as the voice of Groot; Bradley Cooper (American Sniper) as the voice of Rocket; Michael Rooker (Jumper) as Yondu; Karen Gillan (The Big Short) as Nebula; and Sean Gunn (Gilmore Girls) as Kraglin. New cast members include Pom Klementieff (Oldboy), Elizabeth Debicki (The Great Gatsby, Everest), Chris Sullivan (The Knick, The Drop) and Kurt Russell (The Hateful Eight, The Thing).