Could I Am Groot Tackle Vin Diesel’s “Return to Planet X” Storyline? Director Responds (Exclusive)

The Guardians of the Galaxy as fans know them have ended. This past May’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 wrapped James Gunn’s tenure with the band of intergalactic a-holes and consequently retired the core squad of Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket and Groot. Star-Lord heads back to Earth to reconnect with his grandfather. Gamora has joined the Ravagers. Drax re-embraces his role as a dad by raising the Star Children. Rocket and Groot recruit both fresh and familiar faces for the new Guardians of the Galaxy roster. While there is a sense of finality across the board, there are still stories to tell with some of the Guardians originals.

The biggest of those, both literally and figuratively, is Groot. Vin Diesel’s humanoid tree has been a supporting player in both the Guardians and Avengers movies since debuting in 2014. During this time, fans have seen a full cycle of life for Groot but never the place he came from.

Bringing Groot back to his comics home world of Planet X has long been a dream of Diesel’s. When speaking to ComicBook.com’s Brandon Davis in Summer 2021, Diesel encouraged Davis to talk with Marvel President Kevin Feige about that desired storyline.

“If you’re talking to Feige on Saturday, you can ask him about the Groot story that he’s excited about; the return to Planet X,” Diesel said in June 2021.

While that narrative was not used in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, there is another platform that could tell the tale.

Could I Am Groot Tackle “Return to Planet X” Storyline?

Speaking to ComicBook.com, I Am Groot director Kirsten Lepore noted she would be a fan of the “return to Planet X” storyline going down on either the big screen or in her Disney+ digital short series.

“I think either would be great. I think it’s a really interesting idea,” Lepore said. “If they wanted me to do it, I would do it. I’ll say that.”

In the comics, Planet X is the home world of Groot’s species, the Flora Colossi, and is run by a group called the “Arbor Masters.” That unit of Flora Colossi are massive, towering over the general Groot-sized population. This world also contains the “gut-wrenching” explanation for why Flora Colossi can only speak “I am Groot.”

I Am Groot Season 2 premieres on Disney+ this Wednesday, September 6th.