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James Gunn is the latest director to take to Twitter for a coordinated rewatch of one of his biggest films, and his commentary offers good news for fans of the team’s furriest member. According to Gunn, Rocket Raccoon will be a major focus of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Rocket, a walking, talking raccoon from space who loves mechanics and explosions, could have been a wholly comedic figure, but Gunn, who has written or co-written both Guardians movies, has managed to inject a significant amount of pathos into the lonely little furball. And, as he told one fan on Twitter last night, that’s not by mistake.
Part of the cybernetics apparently painfully placed in his body. One of my favorite moments in the movie. Rocket’s loneliness and disaffection is at the center of the franchise for me. #QuarantineWatchParty #GotG https://t.co/F2tGn8XggD
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) April 8, 2020
Rocket’s origin story hasn’t been explored in the movies yet, but in the comics he and a whole slew of other talking, walking animals were created to be servants and caretakers, through painful experimentation and cybernetic augmentation. Gunn’s Rocket has had very little experience with kindness, as he explained in another tweet:
My favorite moment in the movie. I cry every time I see it (I’m teary now). It’s probably the first time Rocket has ever experienced physical tenderness in his life and the way he sinks into and accepts it kills me and makes me love Drax. #QuarantineWatchParty #gotg pic.twitter.com/w5HyQ23WQm
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) April 8, 2020
Rocket has so far appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, as well as having a pretty significant role in both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, in which he became a good buddy of Thor. And Gunn indicated that he intends to keep that streak going in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, saying “Rocket is a big part of what’s happening in the future.”
I’ll just say Rocket is a big part of what’s happening in the future - and a lot of this stuff (like the scars we’re about to see on his back) sets up what I’ve been planning for Rocket all along. #QuarantineWatchParty #GotG https://t.co/WLqoiG7Wzg
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) April 8, 2020
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is still in pre-production stages, as Gunn completes work on Warner Bros.’ The Suicide Squad, due to hit theaters on Aug. 6, 2021. It does not yet have a release date, and with Marvel’s Cinematic Universe scheduled more than two years ahead of time, it’s a safe bet we won’t see the next Guardians until at least Fall 2022.
In the meantime, you can check out Gunn’s Twitter account for more tidbits about the making of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1, including how it gave the Infinity Stones an origin story even though no one working on it knew Infinity War was going to happen.
