Just when you thought the cast of Guardians Of The Galaxy couldn’t push the boundaries of the word “eclectic” any further, here comes news that Benicio Del Toro has hopped aboard in a leading capacity, albeit one that Marvel and director James Gunn are keeping under wraps for now.
According to Deadline, Del Toro has signed a Samuel L. Jackson-style multi-film contact, the sort that most of Marvel’s main actors have been locked into but one that, like Jackson, will let him pop up across various films without having to carry the main acting load. Is he a hero? A villain? Place your bets now and make your suggestions in the comments or on Twitter.
Del Toro joins a huge cast of varied performers that includes Chris Pratt, Glenn Close, Karen Gillan, Zoe Saldana (whose signing appears to be all but complete), Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, John C. Reilly, Ophelia Lovibond and Dave Bautista.
Guardians sends human pilot Peter Quill into space, where he becomes known as Star-Lord and teams up with a rag-tag bunch of escaped prisoners guarding a dangerous secret. At least, that’s the basic premise; no doubt Gunn and co has cooked up something around it.
Given the casting so far, we’re ever more eager – if cautious – about how this one will work on screen. Guardians will land in UK cinemas in August 2014. It starts shooting this month at Shepperton.