Marvel is all over casting announcements this week. Just yesterday we heard that James Spader will be Ultron in THE AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON and today, they have announced that they have reached an agreement with Bradley Cooper (SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK) to voice the anthropomorphic rodent Rocket Raccoon in next year’s GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY. This means that four of the five members of the main team have officially been cast with Groot, the final member, close to being officially cast. Vin Diesel is in final negotiations to film the alien tree with a three word vocabulary.
Here is the official release from Marvel:
Rocket Raccoon has finally found his voice!
Academy Award-nominated actor Bradley Cooper has officially joined the cast of Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy,” lending his voice to the fan-favorite raccoon that will join Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana) and Drax (Dave Bautista) on their epic adventure.
Cooper has previously starred in “Silver Linings Playbook,” for which he was nominated for an Oscar®, “Limitless,” “Place Beyond the Pines” and the “Hangover” trilogy, the latter of which has grossed $1.4 billion globally. He will next be seen in “American Hustle” which will reunite him with “Silver Linings Playbook” director David O. Russell. “Guardians of the Galaxy” will mark Cooper’s first voiceover work.
In the far reaches of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, an unlikely cast of characters including Peter Quill, Gamora, Drax, Groot and Rocket Raccoon must join forces to defeat a cosmic force of epic proportions. Directed by James Gunn, the live-action “Guardians of the Galaxy” will take fans to new corners of the Marvel Universe when it hits theaters August 1, 2014, but in the meantime stay tuned to Marvel.com for the latest news as it breaks, including official casting, first looks and more!
In addition to “Guardians of the Galaxy,” Marvel Studios will release a slate of films based on the Marvel characters including “Thor: The Dark World” on November 8; “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” on April 4, 2014; “Avengers: Age of Ultron” on May 1, 2015; and “Ant-Man” on November 6, 2015.
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So, what do you think of this casting? Be sure to let us know in the comments below.
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GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY is directed by James Gunn and stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, Benicio del Toro, John C. Reilly, Glenn Close, Vin Diesel, Gregg Henry and Bradley Cooper.
SYNOPSIS: “Guardians of the Galaxy,” based on the Marvel comic books of the same name, features an unlikely cast of characters who must team up in order to defeat a cosmic force of epic proportions.
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY is set to hit 2D and 3D theaters on August 1, 2014.
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Jim is an avid movie enthusiast, representing the general movie going audience, looking at movies for their entertainment value as opposed to their critical weight. He enjoys the escapism that movies provide. He is a fan of all genre's of movies, but gravitates toward comic-based movies, summer "popcorn" flicks and over-the-top comedies as his preference. 
