Given the secrecy that has surrounded the character since 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy, it surprised many when director James Gunn revealed the identity of Star-Lord’s father at the Marvel Studios panel at San Diego Comic-Con, revealing Kurt Russell was playing Ego the Living Planet, and Peter Quill’s papa. Some, however, considered this in itself a spoiler, but Gunn has taken to Facebook to explain why it isn’t, writing:
“There have been a minority of folks who have questioned, and even been angry, that I and Marvel would reveal something so major months before the film comes out…I get it. If we lived in a perfect world, I wouldn’t tell you ANYTHING before you walked in to see Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. I wouldn’t tell you Groot was now Baby Groot, I wouldn’t tell you Mantis was in the movie, I wouldn’t say that Ayesha and Taserface are our antagonists, that Yondu and Nebula have incredibly important roles in the film, nor would I tell you that Quill’s father is Ego the Living Planet. However, the world is imperfect…We have to advertise our film. And it will be impossible to show you very much of Vol. 2 since Ego is very much a part of all of it. We just don’t have a way around it.’
“Knowing who Quill’s father is will not diminish your enjoyment of the film in any way. The story is not built to be a shocking twist in the same way Luke’s father was Darth, Soylent Green was people, Rosebud was a sled, or that that pretty woman from Crying Game had a penis (I guess I should have said spoilers before all that). Ego the emotional center of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 from the beginning to the end, and is not a twist. And believe me – there are many, many more surprises we still have in store for you from Vol. 2 – hopefully the biggest of which is how much you’ll love the movie itself. Because, to me, that’s the only twist that matters.”
On the subject of Baby Groot, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige also offered a tease to Collider about the young sapling, saying:
“He remembers (the first movie). He’s not mentally a baby, he is still Groot… I sort of equate it to Spock circa the end of Search for Spock and The Voyage Home.”
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.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 cast includes the return of Chris Pratt as Peter Quill aka Star-Lord, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Dave Bautista as Drax, Vin Diesel as the voice of Groot, Bradley Cooper as the voice of Rocket, Michael Rooker as Yondu, Karen Gillan as Nebula, and Sean Gunn as Kraglin. New cast members also include Elizabeth Debicki, Chris Sullivan, Sylvester Stallone, and Kurt Russell as Peter Quill’s father, Ego the Living Planet. Look for the sequel to hit the big screen May 5, 2017.
(Photo credit: Brian To/WENN.com)
