'Guardians Of The Galaxy 3' Almost Had Greg Nicotero On Board

When Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was going to be directed by James Gunn, The Walking Dead executive producer Greg Nicotero almost played a key role.

Nicotero and his KNB Effects Group have been responsible for a number of impressive practical elements across film and television. Best known for their work on The Walking Dead with the endless supply of unique zombies, Nicotero's team has also built effects for Alita: Battle Angel, Sin City, and the Oscar-Award winning Suicide Squad. As it turns out, had Gunn been able to stick around to direct Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Nicotero may have been on board to create effects, aliens, and everything of the sort.

"We had a great experience on Suicide Squad," Nicotero told ComicBook.com. "Gunn and I had talked about collaborating on [Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3], so I'd be excited to work with him. We had never really had a chance to work together, so that would be fun."

The first Suicide Squad was directed by David Ayer. With Gunn stepping into the Warner Bros. lens and expected to bring the Suicide Squad 2 to life.

"Listen, I like his stuff a lot," Nicotero said of Gunn. "And when Guardians Vol. 3 was starting to heat up last summer, they had called and they were like, 'Listen,' you know? I mean, 'Gunn really likes your stuff, and we'd love to talk about the possibility of you guys collaborating on some designs,' and I was really excited about it. So hopefully we can continue nourishing that relationship."

Gunn and Nicotero seem like a match made in heaven given their history in film. They're horror-based creative appeal could certainly create some otherworldly monsters which would maximize entertainment on any movie-going front. For now, fans of Nicotero's work can look forward to his efforts being showcased in the upcoming Spawn movie which is set to be directed by Todd McFarlane.

The Walking Dead returns for the back half of its ninth season on February 10, 2019 at 9 pm ET. Fear the Walking Dead will return for its fifth season in 2019. For complete coverage and insider info all year long, follow @BrandonDavisBD on Twitter and watch ComicBook.com's After The Dead each Sunday night following new episodes.