Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2: Baby Groot A “Creative Change,” Not To Drive Merchandise

Ever since the end credits sting in Guardians of the Galaxy, one which featured Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” and a cute little sprout, Baby Groot has been in the hearts and minds of Marvel fans. But long after the “We are Groot” scene at the tail-end of James Gunn’s rip-roaring adventure, Vin Diesel’s pint-sized hero is now in the midst of his regenerative process, hence why Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is set to feature a tiny, little (prepubescent?) Groot.

Rocket’s partner-in-crime will play a major role in next year’s spacefaring sequel, but James Gunn has clarified that the decision to overhaul Groot’s design is very much a conscious, “creative” change – one that dovetails with the core story of the sequel – rather than a marketing ploy designed to drive tie-in merchandise.

First spotted by /Film, Gunn was quick to set the record straight:

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

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. https://t.co/5PJTQZ8hF3

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) December 10, 2016

Though they were long considered ancillary characters in Marvel Comics, thanks to James Gunn’s breakout hit, the Guardians of the Galaxy have fast become some of the most popular heroes in all of the MCU. As is so often the case with superhero mascots, Marvel and Disney have naturally built a massive merchandise chain around Star-Lord and Co., and cynicism aside, it’s almost inevitable that Baby Groot will be a big part of the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 marketing push in a few months’ time.

With Vin Diesel (Groot) and Bradley Cooper (Rocket Raccoon) in the voice booth, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 also stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Michael Rooker, Pom Klementieff, Elizabeth Debicki, and Kurt Russell. May 5, 2017 is the date for your diaries.