Nobody likes it when bad things happen to cute animals on screen. No real animals were harmed in the making of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 according to James Gunn, but there's definitely some disturbing material to be had as the film explores Rocket Raccoon's (Bradley Cooper) dark backstory. He and his fellow critters are subject to cruelty at the hands of Chukwudi Iwuji's High Evolutionary, a character so despicable Gunn couldn't emphasize enough how much everyone absolutely hated him. In real life though, Iwuji couldn't be farther from his on-screen self.
Collider's own Perri Nemiroff interviewed the cast and crew of the film and asked Iwuji about his relationship with cute and cuddly creatures when he's not in character. The High Evolutionary is a zealot experimenting on animals trapped in dingy cages and turning them into something they were never meant to be. His actions left a young Rocket alone in the universe until he joined forces with his found family, the Guardians of the Galaxy.
We're happy to report that Iwuji actually has a dog of his own that he cherishes in real life, but being a pet owner made filming the scenes where he showcases his wrath to Rocket and the other creatures all the more devastating. For the actor, who saw his own dog in the adorable baby Rocket's eyes, the film was a tough watch afterward. When questioned about his relationship with his dog, he said:
"I do. I have a gorgeous dog. A Schnoodle, Schnauzer/Poodle mix called Cicero who I adore and who, every time I saw the finished Rocket, I saw — they have the same eyes! I was heartbroken. I was completely destroyed watching the movie because they literally have the same eyes."
The High Evolutionary Will Be a Scary Presence in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Iwuji's High Evolutionary is shaping up to be one of the most detestable villains in MCU history, but it goes beyond animal cruelty. The actor has described the villain in the past as borderline Shakespearean in his evil, striking a balance between pure evil and charisma that will make viewers love to hate him. He's hellbent on eliminating the Guardians from "his world," but these heroes aren't likely to go down without a fight, especially after surviving and bonding over the course of multiple films, a holiday special, and an all-encompassing war against another MCU big bad.
Aside from Iwuji, Vol. 3 features the returning stars of the franchise Cooper, Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, and Pom Klementieff back for their final ride. Iwuji is one of several MCU newcomers in the film alongside Will Poulter as Adam Warlock as well as Daniela Melchior and Nico Santos with Maria Bakalova returning from the holiday special to voice Cosmo the Space Dog once again.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 hits theaters on May 5. Check out the trailer below: