This weekend's panel for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 came with the incredibly surprising news that Kurt Russell would be playing Ego The Living Planet, and that this famous cosmic character would be Star Lord's father. While the identity of Peter Quill's Dad was a mystery in the first film, it was never really implied by any of the Marvel team that they wouldn't be revealing his identity for the sequel's promotion. However, there were still groups of fans who were upset with Gunn for divulging what they thought would be a well-kept secret. Gunn, in his usual fashion, took to his Facebook page to respond.
“People have been particularly excited, confused, and supportive of keeping 'Marvel Cosmic' truly cosmic with the reveal of Peter Quill's father's identity....I get it. If we lived in a perfect world, I wouldn't tell you ANYTHING before you walked in to see Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.," said Gunn. "I wouldn't tell you Groot was now Baby Groot, I wouldn't tell you Mantis was in the movie, I wouldn't say that Ayesha and Taserface are our antagonists, that Yondu and Nebula have incredibly important roles in the film, nor would I tell you that Quill's father is Ego The Living Planet. However, the world is imperfect.”
Gunn explained that the reasons for the reveal were twofold; firstly, he said "we need to advertise our film", and it would be "impossible to show you very much of Vol. 2 [without the reveal] because Ego is very much a part of it all." The second reason was the wealth of websites and publications who are ready to spoil secrets at a moment's notice, and Gunn said he “would rather be in control of the announcement...than have it come out on SpoilersRUs.com."
Gunn continued on to say that Ego's role in the film is substantial and significant, and knowing he is Star Lord's father ahead of time won't change the impact he has on the story.
“That said, knowing who Quill's father is will not diminish your enjoyment of the film in any way,” Gunn explained.
“Ego [is] the emotional center of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 from the beginning to the end, and is not a twist. And believe me - there are many, many more surprises we still have in store for you from Vol. 2 - hopefully the biggest of which is how much you'll love the movie itself.”
What do you think of Gunn's reasoning? Sound off below!
About The Author:
Matt is a graduate of the Ryerson University School of Journalism, and has been a fan of superheroes since he picked up his first comic book issue as a child. While he works as a professional musician, Matt has a massive passion for comic books, films and heroes, along with participating in discussion and debate with the CBM community.