Updated yesterday at 6:00am.
James Gunn enjoys working with his friends. He loves directing with them and he loves seeing their friendship on screen. Since the first Guardians of the Galaxy (GOTG) in 2014, connections have grown stronger. Today, the Guardians form a family that is as heterogeneous as it is close-knit, both in the cinema and in real life.
“We’re a disparate group, like the Guardians,” notes Sean Gunn, who also plays Kraglin, a former Ravager turned Guardian.
We’ve changed so much since the first film 10 years ago. Chris Pratt and Karen Gillan didn’t have the careers they have today. Dave Bautista was a wrestler. I had acted in a couple of shows on TV… I’m really happy with how we and our characters turned out.
Sean Gun
The brother of director and screenwriter James Gunn, who played Kirk Gleason in Gilmore Girls, his role has evolved throughout the trilogy. Since Kraglin only had a few lines in the original GOTG episode, the actor’s main job was to take Rocket’s place during filming while wearing fun green outfits and crouching. Bradley Cooper always lends his voice to the ruthless raccoon in that final installment, but it’s Sean Gunn’s that we hear for the scenes where we see the younger Rocket.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY MARVEL STUDIOS
Sean Gunn as Kraglin
“Initially I was chosen because I think my brother was afraid of getting bored in the London studios,” Sean Gunn admits with a smile in his voice. Rocket gave me such an adventure… [Court silence] It takes a whole team to bring it to screen and I’m proud to be a part of it. He’s also the focus of the story and of all the characters, he’s the one my brother resonates with the most. I could talk for two hours about what he means to me. »
Meeting with its maker
Not much has been revealed about Rocket’s origins in the previous two GOTGs. We know that he has undergone cruel experiments and undergone cybernetic modifications. With the literal and figurative scars still visible, he prefers not to speak about his past.
James Gunn called Rocket the “secret protagonist” of his trilogy. He concludes by revealing that a man known as The High Evolutionary has transformed a baby raccoon into a brilliant creature capable of piloting a spaceship. However, his intentions were far from noble.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY MARVEL STUDIOS
A young rocket
“He lives only for his obsession, which makes him a very dangerous person,” says Chukwudi Iwuji. He’s a classic villain. It reminds me of James Bond, the mad scientists or Doctor Moreau. Or almost all of Gary Oldman’s roles in the 1990s I didn’t think I was lucky enough to be able to offer my version of all those performances that I love and live on in my memories. »
The High Evolutionary has been trying for years to build a perfect society by genetically modifying animals. Rocket – which he calls 89P13 – is the result of one of his earlier experiments, from which he successfully escaped. When he learns that he is still alive, his search becomes his priority.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY MARVEL STUDIOS
Chukwudi Iwuji embodies The High Evolutionary.
Even when he’s calm, you can feel an anger snarling inside him. It’s a good challenge for an actor, and it’s satisfying when you can finally let that anger out.
Chukwudi Iwuji on The High Evolutionary
Another challenge was to pretend to be chatting to a little two-legged raccoon while Chukwudi Iwuji was actually chatting to Sean Gunn, a Rocket doll, or a tennis ball! “Sean helped me a lot because when we started shooting, his presence allowed me to respond to his emotions. It made me angry or upset, which enabled me to perform better. »
A “Flood of Emotions”
After briefly feuding with Thor in Love and Thunder and then celebrating Christmas – on Disney+ – in Holiday Special, the Guardians reunite one last time. At least, that’s the team’s version that director and screenwriter James Gunn brought to the screen.
“It’s always sad to end something, but there’s also this joy of finishing a creative project to present it to the public,” explains Sean Gunn, who nonetheless admits going through a “flood of emotions” in those few months to have .
“I could only look at it, having only just joined them when they were 10 years together, but you could feel that everyone took a responsibility to end it in style,” Chukwudi Iwuji continues. Chris, Zoe, Dave, they were all so welcoming. It was a very friendly set. There was pressure, not from them but from me. I didn’t want to be the one to ruin everything. It was a real pleasure to take part in the final point of this adventure. »
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