Guardians Of The Galaxy Officially Casts Bradley Cooper As Rocket Raccoon
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“I love it when a plan comes together!” It looks like Marvel has finally assembled the entire team for Guardians of the Galaxy. More than six months ago, actor Chris Pratt was cast in the leading role of Star-Lord/Peter Quill in Marvel’s newest cosmic movie. Shortly thereafter, Dave Bautista was cast as Drax the Destroyer, and Star Trek‘s Zoe Saldana joined in the role of Gamora, the deadliest woman in the galaxy. A few weeks ago, Vin Diesel signed on to voice the treelike alien Groot and now it appears Marvel has found their Rocket Raccoon…and it’s actor Bradley Cooper.
According to Marvel, Bradley Cooper will indeed voice the gun-loving Rocket Raccoon in Guardians of the Galaxy. In a press release, Marvel mentioned that Cooper would lend his voice, but it didn’t disclose whether he’ll also provide motion capture for the character. Regardless, the entire team is assembled and we’re one step closer to seeing the comic book movie launch into theaters next August.
Rocket Raccoon is the lovable, violent, anthropomorphic raccoon who is an expert marksman and a master tactician among the the Guardians of the Galaxy team. Rocket also acts as the Guardian of the Keystone Quadrant, the area of outer space sealed off from the rest of the galaxy by the Galacian Wall. He has the ability of super speed and acute senses. He is also an accomplished starship pilot and second-in-command when Star-Lord isn’t around.
Bradley Cooper is a very interesting choice to voice Rocket Raccoon. While many Marvel fans pictured Jason Statham as the character, Bradley Cooper has played his fair share of badass characters, such as in the film Limitless and as the character of Lt. Templeton “Face” Peck in Joe Carnahan’s The A-Team film adaptation. Cooper was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in David O. Russell’s Silver Linings Playbook. Cooper can next be seen in Russell’s American Hustle.
As for Guardians of the Galaxy, actor Chris Pratt recently opened up about working on the newest Marvel movie. Apparently, Pratt has to split his time between shooting Guardians in London, England and Parks and Recreation in Los Angeles.
In an interview with IGN, Pratt says that one reason Guardians of the Galaxy will work is because director James Gunn knows how to handle the balance between the film’s shifting tones. Pratt says:
I think tone is the major thing we have to accomplish, a consistent tone, going from silly and comedic to high-stakes drama and action, and everything in between. It’s really up to James, and I trust everything that he’s doing. I think we’re getting good stuff. I don’t know what to say about it other than it might be…Oh! It’s the greatest movie of the 21st century! That’s what I’ll say. It’ll be the Citizen Kane of movies other than Citizen Kane.
Now that the team is assembled, it will be interesting to see how general audiences will react to the strange film. The talent involved will surely get people to go see the movie, but will they enjoy the weird space opera from Marvel Studios?
Guardians of the Galaxy is currently in production. The Marvel movie features Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Benicio del Toro, Lee Pace, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, Michael Rooker, Olivia Lovibond, John C. Reilly, and Bradley Cooper as Rocket Raccoon, with Glenn Close as Nova Prime.
Guardians of the Galaxy will hit theaters everywhere on August 1, 2014.
