James Gunn Pushed For "Terrible" Animal Scenes in 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3'

For those who have not yet seen Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3, you will want to look away, as the rest of this article will contain heavy spoilers for the film. 

One of the biggest aspects of the newest MCU film is the inclusion of Rocket’s backstory, which is as tragic as one might think. Throughout the first two films, we understand that Rocket was created in a lab, though no one knew to what extent that happened. During the events of the threequel, we got a first-hand account of the terrible nature of his upbringing.

Related: New ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Clip Showcases Rocket’s Dark Origins

Rocket was created by the being known as the High Evolutionary. This villain was instrumental in creating many beings in the MCU, including the Sovereign, who then created Adam Warlock. However, his exploits with cruel and unusual punishment of his creations were duly noted in the film.

Rocket is one of the many raccoons taken from Earth by the High Evolutionary. Though he survived, it is implied that many did not. The High Evolutionary aimed to create a “perfect” society by meshing the DNA of animals and humans to create humanoid beings. However, many were filled with feral rage, which Rocket was not filled with. Rocket became the only creation that could determine what was wrong with the High Evolutionary’s experiment in creating a race of perfect animal humanoids.

Rocket believed he would be freed, only to discover that he and his friends would be incinerated. Rocket, Teefs, Floor, and Lylla become friends and hope to escape their stark reality. However, they also met their end at the hands of the High Evolutionary, in a scene that is the darkest the MCU has ever taken its stories.

Though the scenes of animal cruelty have been a hot topic of discussion, they were insisted upon by James Gunn. Miriam Shor, who portrayed Recorder Vin in the film, confirmed this fact via an exclusive interview with The Direct.

James Gunn Wanted Animal Abuse in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’

James Gunn knew precisely what he was doing in the film, and despite taking things to a darker place, everything worked out in the end. Shor confirmed Gunn telling her about why the animal abuse scenes needed to be prevalent in the film.

Shor said, “No, he just was like, ‘You have to go for it. It has to be terrible.’ The stakes have to be that high for the story to work. There has to be, you know, and I as a fan, know that for the fans, it has to be. Like, if you’re a bad guy in these movies, you can’t pull your punches because it doesn’t work. But there was definitely a moment where I was like, I don’t think that kids are gonna let me come home after they see the movie.”

Shor had questioned the methods of showing animal abuse in Guardians of the Galaxy. Still, it needed to happen to showcase how tragic Rocket’s story is and how hated the High Evolutionary would become, thus needing to be stopped. It was enough that the villain destroyed a planet of humanoid animals at the drop of a hat, but he held no sense of conscience when killing beings that were not “perfect” in his eyes.

Despite the controversy behind these story elements in the film, PETA came out supporting James Gunn’s vision. They gave the director an award for the film and called it the “Best Animal Rights Film.” Typically, PETA goes after any production that insists on showcasing animal abuse in this manner, but it was because Gunn showcased those scenes that the organization thanked him.

The number tattooed and given to Rocket is something PETA says happens in real-life laboratories. Also, the organization showcased the device where Rocket is held as being something primates are subjected to as well.

Related: PETA Pushes Back Against Criticism of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’

We will agree that the scenes with Rocket and the High Evolutionary are terrible, and it is because of that awful showing the film struck a nerve with most people. The mistreatment of animals is wrong, and Gunn wanted that to be shown to increase everyone’s empathy. It has worked so far, especially garnering support from PETA. We would say the film is worth watching, though we understand everyone’s reservations about not wanting to see animals mistreated in such an awful way.

Are you happy James Gunn showed animal mistreatment in Guardians of the Galaxy? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!