Marvel is reportedly looking at casting Bradley Cooper as the voice for Rocket Raccoon in Guardians of the Galaxy.
UPDATE: Marvel confirmed on Friday, August 30 that Cooper will indeed voice Rocket Raccoon.
There’s been strong rumors that Vin Diesel would be voicing Groot, as the actor has been very vocal about getting the role.
We haven’t heard much from him since those rumors though, so maybe Marvel didn’t like the way he was discussing their meetings.
What’s even more important is Marvel finding the perfect person to voice the most interesting character in Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon. That’s where Bradley Cooper comes in.
The rumor comes from Latino Review that Cooper will be voicing Rocket, but even if Marvel wants him, that doesn’t mean they’ll get him. Bradley is currently busy trying to get a passion project of his off the ground: American Sniper.
Bradley Cooper is certainly in demand right now, as he’s coming off a stellar year in the business, but that may work against getting him cast in Marvel’s space-thriller. Or it could be a good thing, as it’s a project where he could complete the voice acting within a short amount of time.
It might also be interesting if he chose to voice Rocket, as he and Zoe Saldana, who is playing Gamora, were linked as a couple just this past year.
One of Hypable’s writers recently came up with a list of actors who would do a great job voicing Rocket, but Cooper wasn’t on their list. It’s definitely an interesting look at the character though and who would be best to voice him, so make sure to check it out.
If Cooper was to join the cast, he’d be joining one one of the biggest and most talented casts currently at work. Guardians of the Galaxy’s cast includes Academy Award winning actress Glenn Close, John C. Reilly, and Benicio Del Toro. Doctor Who’s Karen Gillan has been cast as Nebula.
Zoe Saldana has been cast as Gamora, along with actor Chris Pratt, who has been cast as the lead in Guardians of the Galaxy, Star-Lord, and WWE star Dave Bautista (Drax the Destroyer).
Michael Rooker, the massive fan-favorite of The Walking Dead series, has also signed on to play Yondu in Marvel’s space-thriller.
In recent Guardians news, Tyler Bates has been tapped to score the film. Fans may know Bates from his work in 300 and Watchmen, so he’s definitely someone who we’re excited to see composing the score for the film.
Guardians of the Galaxy follows a futuristic, alien superhero team protecting the galaxy from evil, led by Peter Quill. The team first appeared in Marvel comics in 1969, but weren’t given their own series until the 1990s. Check out our latest news on Guardians of the Galaxy, as the film will hit theaters August 1, 2014.