Gilmore Girls fans got a nice surprise two years ago, when Sean Gunn aka Stars Hollow's very own Kirk appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy for a few blink-and-you-miss-it scenes. Gunn popped up just briefly in the blockbuster as a Ravager, a member of the gang that raised Star-Lord. Though his role appeared small, the actor was actually a huge part of the first film, and fans will be happy to hear that Kirk from Gilmore Girls is returning for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. This time, you can't miss him.
Gunn, whose brother James wrote and directed both Guardians films, has a much bigger role in Vol. 2. The actor plays Yondu's number one Ravager, Kraglin. Details of Kraglin's storyline are too spoiler-filled to share, but regardless, Gilmore Girls fans will be happy to know that they'll be able to see Gunn in nearly every scene, if they use their imaginations. Kraglin isn't the only role Gunn is reprising in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, as he's also coming back as the on-set Rocket.
Rocket might speak with the voice of Bradley Cooper, but on set, it's Gunn who stands in for the filthy animal, providing a basis for the animation that brings Rocket to life, while also letting the actors on set interact with an acual being, not just a tennis ball. "When people see Rocket's acting, and all the little weird things he does with his eyes, and his hands, and all of this stuff, that's Sean's acting," James said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. Granted, the animators also play off of Cooper's performance and his movements in the recording booth, but a majority of Rocket's body movements is made up of Gunn's own actions on set.
Similar to his role as Kraglin, Gunn found himself doing much more work as Rocket on the set of Vol. 2. "In the first one, we would do a scene a couple times with Sean in and then move him out and do other takes. In the second one, we would use him until we got the scene just the way we wanted," James told Variety. For the actors on set, Gunn's presence was integral. "[Gunn] gives us all the passion and all the dynamic that we need to have from Rocket," Zoe Saldana said at a press event, via Yahoo.
Gunn might get double billing in Guardians of the Galaxy, but even two roles in a huge Marvel franchise isn't enough to make fans forget about Kirk. Gunn is so recognizable and beloved as Kirk, that some fans are even hoping for a crossover.
Gunn doesn't really need any more roles in the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, but if he wanted to take one on, I think fans would be more than happy to welcome Kirk into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. #KirkInSpace
