When we all first got a glimpse of Baby Groot dancing up a storm at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy, fans fell in love! It’s only natural we’d suspect that Baby Groot’s inclusion in the film’s sequel has something to do with that fan love and our desire for adorable merch. Writer/Director James Gunn, however, insists that Baby Groot’s inclusion in Vol. 2 is not only not a marketing “ploy,” but that it wasn’t even his original take on the story!
I’m sure some people think that but for me keeping him Baby Groot throughout the film was the creative change that opened the film up for me https://t.co/5PJTQZpSwB
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) December 10, 2016
Gunn gave the above response on Twitter after a fan asked him about Baby Groot’s inclusion. He followed that up by saying, “I was less confident the studio was going to buy in on Baby Groot than I was they were going to buy in on Ego the Living Planet.”
It’s hard to imagine anyone not being all-in on Baby Groot, but yeah, cuteness aside, I can see how one might not expect Baby Groot to have much story meat to him. After all, Full-Grown Groot was able to kick the crap out of opponents. Baby Groot…is a teensy baby that one might not associate with doing battle with ne’er do wells. Apparently, Gunn saw potential there.
In a Facebook post, he elaborated on his decision-making process:
He brings up another good point. Full-Grown Groot, not to mention Vin Diesel’s surprisingly versatile performance using just three words, was the breakout star of the first film. And sure, Baby Groot is the dictionary definition of adorable, but there’s no guarantee that would translate to a full film, nor that it would override people’s desire to see the Groot they came to know in action. Still, I’m glad they took the “risk” as it seems like Baby Groot is an amazing addition to this crew.
Other additions I’m looking forward to? Mantis and Ayesha, as well as more Nebula (yay female heroes!). And I’ve gotta say, Ego the Living Planet is exactly the kind of entity I’d expect the Guardians to be dealing with. That’s gonna be hilarious.
Are you looking forward to more Baby Groot? What other characters have you excited about Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2? Tell us in the comments below!
(via CBR.com, image via screencap)
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