Michael Rooker, the massive fan-favorite of The Walking Dead series has just signed on to play Yondu in Marvel’s space-thriller Guardians of the Galaxy.

Michael Rooker, who played Merle in AMC’s smash hit The Walking Dead has officially joined Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy according to Deadline. Rooker’s character Merle (spoiler) died in the episode before The Walking Dead’s finale, so we imagine his calendar has opened up. He has been cast as one of the four main superheroes of Guardians Of The Galaxy, which is being directed by James Gunn.

Rooker will indeed play Yondu, who is a “game hunter of a primitive tribe native to Centauri IV,” which was the first planet system to be colonized beyond the Sun’s solar system.

He reportedly bands together with other fugitives to form the superhero team which will be featured in Marvel’s space-thriller.

Actor Chris Pratt already has been cast as the U.S. pilot Peter Quill, who is better known as Star-Lord. But the futuristic ex-cons are most likely the rest of the Guardians. This could mean that a majority of the film will be the origins of Peter Quill teaming up with the Guardians, which includes Rocket Raccoon, Drax the Destroyer, Gamora, and Groot.

Guardians of the Galaxy follows a futuristic, alien superhero team protecting the galaxy from evil, lead 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. and Disney plans an August 1, 2014 release date.