Director James Gunn has teased that Rocket’s personal history will be addressed in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Even though Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 wasn’t released until 2017, the titular superhero team has made cameo appearances in several other MCU films. Their most recent appearance was in Thor: Love and Thunder. Along with the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will include the return of Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, and Vin Diesel as Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, and Groot, respectively.
Director James Gunn recently disclosed in an interview with ComicBook.com that the movie would explore Rocket’s origins, which is interesting given the numerous unanswered concerns regarding how Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will complete the saga of the eponymous team. The director is cautious about revealing too much about the next film’s plot. However, he has hinted that Rocket’s backstory will play a significant role in the film’s overall emotional story. Have a read at Gunn’s entire response down below:
“[The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special] is also very, very different than Volume 3 because Volume 3 is a really a very emotional movie. And it tells this story about Rocket and where he came from and where he’s going, and how that ties into everybody else, and the end of this iteration of The Guardians. So, doing this goofy thing like once every four days, and then going and shooting four days of Guardians Vol. 3, and then going back, it almost created a lot of whiplash. But it was also almost like The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special days were like snow days, you know? Those were the… that was recess. That was fun!”
In the first Guardians of the Galaxy film, Rocket is briefly shown to be the product of genetic experiments. However, the character has a long and storied background in Marvel comics. According to the comics, a gang of intelligent robots entrusted with caring for a planet full of mentally ill humans conducted the tests on Rocket. Robots bred Rocket Raccoon and others like him to serve as caregivers in their stead while they migrated to the opposite half of Earth. The origins of Rocket’s nickname “Halfworld” aren’t fully explored but are mentioned briefly in the first Guardians of the Galaxy film.
There’s reason to believe that the MCU version of Rocket’s past will be similar to the one presented in the comics. The fact that Guardians of the Galaxy mentioned Halfworld further strengthens that belief. After the robot caregivers leave, Rocket and the other animals continue to help the humans on the planet in the comics. Rocket even joins forces with the Hulk at one point to defend Halfworld and save his kidnapped girlfriend, Lylla. Uncertainty surrounds how deeply Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will go into Rocket’s past, although his MCU history may shed light on his current disposition.
Rocket’s Marvel Past And GOTG 3’s Emotional Conclusion
In Cooper’s depiction, Rocket is quick to anger and reluctant to show any sign of vulnerability. Throughout his stay in the MCU, viewers have caught glimpses of the emotional burden he bears. Rocket’s inclination to withdraw from others, and perhaps a feeling of resolution for the character in light of the events on Halfworld, could be explored in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Gunn apparently has a dramatic plan in mind for Rocket’s story in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. It might involve the return of a character from his past or the use of flashbacks to flesh out his biography.
