James Gunn Sets the Record Straight on Kraglin Scene

James Gunn has put an end to a long-standing rumour about a supposed unscripted moment in the original Guardians of the Galaxy film. The chatter started after a clip did the rounds online, showing Yondu, played by Michael Rooker, and Kraglin, portrayed by Sean Gunn, in a scene with the Broker. In the footage, Yondu starts taking the mickey out of the Broker by speaking in gibberish, while Kraglin appears to stifle a grin. Some fans were convinced this was all off-the-cuff, with Sean Gunn supposedly 'breaking character' because of Rooker's antics.

Gunn, however, was quick to clear things up. He responded to the claims, stating,

Nope. Both Yondu's mocking and Kraglin suppressing a smile were scripted.

He went on to explain,

But what is true is I shot the closeup of Sean in pickups because I didn't grab one on the day and I needed a cutaway. So he was actually in front of a blue screen for that shot and we comped in an empty plate of the background from the day. So, yeah, hardly 'breaking character.' When you hear about 'reshoots' these are usually the types of things my team is doing.

Behind the Scenes: How the Scene Came Together

Gunn’s comments shed light on the filmmaking process, especially when it comes to pickups and reshoots. The closeup of Kraglin wasn’t captured during the main shoot, so they had to film it later in front of a blue screen. The background was added in post-production, making it look seamless in the final cut. This sort of thing is pretty standard in the industry, and Gunn reckons it’s a good example of what reshoots are actually for—filling in gaps, not fixing mistakes or covering up actors losing their composure.

It’s a reminder that what punters see on screen is often the result of careful planning and a bit of movie magic, rather than spontaneous moments. The idea that Sean Gunn was caught off guard by Rooker’s performance might sound fun, but in this case, it just wasn’t true.

Gunn’s Career Moves: From Marvel to DC

After wrapping up the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy for Marvel Studios between 2014 and 2023, Gunn has since taken the reins at DC Studios. He directed last year’s much-hyped Superman, and he’s set to return for Man of Tomorrow, a follow-up focusing on the Man of Steel and Lex Luthor, due out in 2027.

But before that, the next big thing for Gunn’s DC Universe is Supergirl, with Milly Alcock from House of the Dragon stepping into the role of Kara Zor-El. Supergirl is slated to hit cinemas on 26 June, and there’s plenty of buzz about what’s next for the DCU. For those keen to keep up, there’s a full guide to the upcoming DC films and shows in Chapter One of the new universe.