James Gunn Says Adam Sandler Guardians of the Galaxy Claim Is Not True

By Jamie Jirak

It's been over four years since Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 hit theaters, so Marvel Cinematic Universe fans are eager to see the cast back in action for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. The movie has finally gone into production with James Gunn at the helm, and the director hasn't been shy about the movie's casting on social media. Gunn recently shared a cast photo that included Will Poulter, who has been cast as Adam Warlock as well as Chukwudi Iwuji. Earlier this week, Gunn took to Twitter to debunk casting rumors that are circulating online, and he's back today to shut down rumors that Adam Sandler almost played Rocket Racoon, the role voiced by Bradley Cooper.

"Director @JamesGunn ended up choosing #BradleyCooper for the role. And after losing the role to Cooper, Sandler also auditioned to play Groot but sadly was beaten by Vin Diesel. Would you love to see Adam Sandler in any Guardians Of The Galaxy film in the future? #DidYouKnow," @moviesnowtv tweeted. "This is not true. I've never even met Adam Sandler," Gunn replied. You can check out the interaction below:

Gunn may be debunking all kinds of casting rumors, but the director did previously tease that some stars from The Suicide Squad could be popping up in the new Guardians. Gunn is known for working with some of the same actors on multiple projects, including his brother Sean Gunn and Michael Rooker, who are both in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies as well as The Suicide Squad. The director could just be alluding to their returns (although, Gunn has no plans to resurrect Rooker's Yondu), but we're hoping there will be some unexpected cameos on the docket. This wouldn't be too surprising considering Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 star, Pom Klementieff, made a surprise appearance in The Suicide Squad. 

As for Poulter, it was recently revealed that Gunn thoroughly vetted the actor through his references. During a recent interview with The Direct, Poulter's friend and former We're the Millers co-star, Molly Quinn, said Gunn reached out to ask what it was like working with Poulter on set. 

"James, he did ask me how my experience working with Will was. I think he asked a couple of other people as well, because James is great and is always checking everyone's references," Quinn shared. "He wants to work with his friends, and if he's working with new people, he wants them to become friends. I only had glowing things to say about Will."

Is there anyone you'd like to see in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3? Tell us in the comments! 

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is due to hit theaters on May 5, 2023.

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