One of the best running gags of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise is how Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) tells aliens about Earth actors as if they were heroes. One of the stars Peter always talks about is Kevin Bacon, who left a lasting positive impression on his mind after he watched Footloose when he was a kid. As it turns out, Bacon was unaware director James Gunn had used his name in the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 and was deeply amused when he went to theaters and discovered the reference.
While 1980s pop culture is part of Peter’s personality, Bacon was not expecting to be used as a hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As he tells Entertainment Tonight, “I went to the theater opening weekend, having worked with James Gunn. We had been in touch and he never warned me that this was coming, I had no idea, and I sat there and all of a sudden they were talking about me, and my jaw just dropped.”
Knowing that Bacon was oblivious about his MCU importance just makes the scene more precious, as it will be impossible to rewatch Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 without imagining the star’s reaction. Moreover, the first movie will soon become even more relevant for Bacon’s career, as the actor is returning to the MCU for Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.
How Kevin Bacon Fits in Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special?
Set after Thor: Love and Thunder, the holiday special will have the Guardians coming back to Earth to cheer up Peter, who’s having a hard time since his loved companion Gamora (Zoe Saldana) was killed in Avengers: Infinity War. The Guardians know how important Christmas is for Peter, so they come to celebrate the holiday and get the outlaw’s leader the best gift ever: Kevin Bacon himself. That’s right, the holiday special involves some Guardians going after Bacon on Earth, which is a delicious idea for a Guardians of the Galaxy one-shot story. Bacon couldn’t be more excited to show up in the MCU as himself. As the actor puts it:
“I've done quite a few things where I played myself, both in films, but also in commercial spots and stuff like that. And I take my work really, really seriously, but I don't take myself really, really seriously. So to be able to poke fun at yourself... it's just a blast. I love this kind of heightened idea of what my life is and like, for instance, the house that I have, I can guarantee you that my house doesn't look anything like that house.”
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special will be released on Disney+ on November 25. Check out the Holiday Special’s trailer below: