James Gunn Explains How Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 Is Autobiographical

Director James Gunn recently revealed there were a lot of influences in his blockbuster hit Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, but one of the biggest could be his own self.

That might seem obvious considering he wrote the movie, but it’s especially surprising because he called the film autobiographical when speaking at the Shanghai International Film Festival last week.

The director referred to the character of Rocket, voiced by Bradley Cooper, according to a report from Variety Asia.

“Rocket is me, feeling outcast and forgotten.”

Gunn spoke alongside director Peter Chan Ho-sun and Kong: Skull Island writer Max Borenstein. They all agreed that films had to be personal stories in order for the audience to connect, leading Gunn to reveal that Rocket was his most personal outlet in the film.

“Half of film making is about balance,” Gunn said. “A film is a giant machine that I’m helping to build. Half is very personal, it’s about characters. (The whole) is a balance between the emotional and the logical.”

The director also said that he was inspired the movies made in Hong Kong, “where anything can happen at any moment.”

“Johnnie To, John Woo and Ringo Lam made me fall in love with cinema even more than I had been before,” Gunn said.


The influences certainly paid off, as the action-packed sequel to his 2014 hit film has been a huge international success.

“I was created in giant petri dish to make ‘Guardians of the Galaxy,’” Gunn said.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is in theaters now. The team will next be seen in next year’s Avengers: Infinity War.


Did you enjoy the continued adventures of Rocket, Groot, Gamora, Drax, and Star-Lord? Let us know with your vote in the Anticipation Rankings below!

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Set to the backdrop of ‘Awesome Mixtape #2,’ Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 continues the team’s adventures as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos. The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mysteries of Peter Quill’s true parentage. Old foes become new allies and fan-favorite characters from the classic comics will come to our heroes’ aid as the Marvel cinematic universe continues to expand.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is written and directed by James Gunn (Slither). The film marks the return of the original Guardians, including Chris Pratt (Jurassic World) as Peter Quill/Star-Lord; Zoe Saldana (Star Trek Into Darkness) as Gamora; Dave Bautista (Spectre) as Drax; Vin Diesel (Furious 7) as the voice of Groot; Bradley Cooper (American Sniper) as the voice of Rocket; Michael Rooker(Jumper) as Yondu; Karen Gillan (The Big Short) as Nebula; and Sean Gunn (Gilmore Girls) as Kraglin. New cast members include Pom Klementieff (Oldboy), Elizabeth Debicki (The Great Gatsby, Everest), Chris Sullivan (The Knick, The Drop) and Kurt Russell (The Hateful Eight, The Thing).