The Marvel Cinematic Universe is nearing its 20 year anniversary, and there are certain franchises that stand out as fan favorites. Folks who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order will likely put James Gunn‘s Guardians of the Galaxy films (which are streaming with a Disney+ subscription) at the top of that list. For years Sean Gunn was the stand-in for Rocket in addition to playing Kraglin in live-action, and he recently got real about the physical toll of it. What’s more, he spoke about his possible future as the beloved hero.
Bradley Cooper famously voiced Rocket throughout the MCU, but Gunn brought him to life on set for the other actors. During a recent appearance on The Brandon Davis Show’s YouTube the actor shared what playing Rocket did to his body, saying:
I’m doing a lot of pivoting in my ankles and feet and over the years I think it had a little bit of an effect on my physiology. My knees are fine, but since I turned 50 a couple years ago, I am retired from playing Rocket.
Ouch. Given Rocket’s short stature, Sean Gunn would spend a great deal of time on his knees. Although it turns out that it’s his ankles and feet that have taken the most wear and tear throughout his time standing in as Rocket in the Guardians and Avengers movies (as well as the Guardians Holiday Special). My body is aching just hearing him talk about it.
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Unfortunately, the Gilmore Girls alum seems like he’s done playing that character for good. This might be a bummer for the fandom, but there’s no telling if we’re ever actually going to see the furry hero again on the big screen. The end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 wrapped up most of the team’s narratives, with Rocket being named the new leader of the team. He finally managed to overcome his traumatic past, and with James Gunn working as the co-CEO of DC Studios it seems likely that the cosmic team of comic book characters might be retired in the shared universe.
Sean Gunn had two very different jobs as part of the Guardians of the Galaxy cast, and he pulled them off in impressive fashion. Because in addition to being the on-set actor bringing Rocket to life, he also had his own character as the Ravager Kraglin. He was a consistent scene-stealer in the latter role, and ended up learning how to wild Yondu’s fin by the end of Vol. 3. He was in the formation of the new Guardians in the movie’s final moments, alongside Rocket, Groot, Adam Warlock, Cosmo, and Phyla.
Gunn’s time as Rocket and Kraglin are streaming now on Disney+. The next upcoming Marvel movie is Avengers: Doomsday on December 18th as part of the 2026 movie release list, although it doesn’t look like we’ll see any Guardians during its mysterious runtime.