The Marvel Cinematic Universe's first 23 movies have had dozens of characters portrayed by many of Hollywood's best and brightest actors. Although a select few characters have been killed off, there are a number of them that find a way to cheat death and return in future films. MCU critics have maligned this fact, although in the instances of characters who end up dying for good , the ends of their stories carry that much more weight. While many of the actors that play characters in the MCU that are killed off don't mind that fate, there are a few that have absolutely loved their time in the MCU, and new information has arrived concerning a fan-favorite who is part of the latter group.
NEWS
In an interview on the Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum podcast via Comicbook.com , Guardians of the Galaxy star Michael Rooker expressed that he would love to return to the MCU, but it would have to be in a new role and not as Yondu Udonta. When asked if his character will return in the unscheduled Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 , he detailed his feelings on a potential MCU return:
I would play something else, I wouldn't mind. I would play something else, but why would I want to play Yondu? Yondu had a wonderful, [the] most amazing sendoff that you would ever want in cinematic Marvel history.
WHAT THIS MEANS
Rooker clearly has a very strong emotional attachment to Yondu, and he does not want to undo the ending of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 , where Yondu saved Peter Quill from Ego the Living Planet's explosive death and suffocated in space. This death is widely regarded as one of the most impactful in the MCU to date. Rooker detailed later in the interview with his Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 co-star Michael Rosenbaum how much he thinks bringing Yondu back would completely spoil that moment and that he should stay dead.
Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy director James Gunn has a long history working with Rooker, and both of them have been adament about Yondu not being brought back to life ever since the 2017 sequel premiered in theatres. Rooker's two MCU performances are highly celebrated among fans, and even though he will not return as Yondu, only time will tell to see if he ends up returning to work with Marvel again in the future. Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 is confirmed with Gunn returning to write and direct, although no release date is attached to the film yet.
