Ahead of the release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, High Evolutionary actor Chukwudi Iwuji sat down with Agents of Fandom’s own Agent Ryan Cortero where he revealed his thoughts on joining James Gunn’s DCU.
Back to the DC(U)!
After starring in James Gunn’s Peacemaker last year, Iwuji might not be a name you would expect to see in the new DCU. However, after performing in multiple projects with Gunn, it might not be out of the picture. Agent Cortero asked Iwuji if he would be interested in joining the universe in a new role, to which he responded with:
“James Gunn is probably, so far in my life probably, maybe one of two creators in the world that if he called I’d say yes before I read the material because I trust his instincts about the sort of actor he believes I am so strongly. So I guess the answer to that is absolutely, why not, why wouldn’t I?”
—Chukwudi Iwuji, with Agents of Fandom
Chukwudi Iwuji’s time to be a hero!
This quote makes it pretty obvious that he would love to come back, and all of us fans would love to see it—the real question is, who would he play? After appearing as both an anti-hero in Peacemaker and a full-on villain in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, if Iwuji joins the talented lineup of actors in the DCU, it might just be time for him to play a hero!
The list of potential characters is endless, but based on what we have seen from Chukwudi Iwuji in comic book properties, we can count on him to deliver a great performance in any role. Although still years away, the anticipation for James Gunn’s DCU is building like no other. Rumors are swirling that we might even begin to get casting news as soon as this year!
High Evolutionary actor on animal cruelty
Agent Ryan Cortero asked Chukwudi Iwuji about his process of handling a role that tackled animal abuse head-on with care, while maintaining the horrific nature of the topic. While Iwuji immediately joked that no animals were harmed in the process, he emphasized that he saw his own dog in the eyes of Rocket Raccoon upon seeing the final cut.
“My agent went home and hugged her dog for ages, and someone else came in and said they did the same thing. And I even saw my dog in the eyes of Rocket when I saw the final product and teared up.”
—Chukwudi Iwuji, with Agents of Fandom
Iwuji went on to mention that animals mean a lot to James Gunn and “there is no more beloved animal in the universe than Rocket Raccoon.” He proposed that in showing the harmful effects of animal abuse, it will remind the audience we need to protect these creatures.
“In an inverse way, it’s making us more aware of that…”
“In view of taking advantage of defenseless creatures and stuff, there’s something inversely beautiful about the fact that this movie, in seeing horrific actions done on my part for it, is reminding people of how we need to, you know, make sure we protect these helpless beings.”
—Chukwudi Iwuji, with Agents of Fandom
Make sure and check out the full interview to hear about Iwuji’s process on becoming a villain, if channeling a villain’s rage sticks with him past filming, and more!
Do you want to see Chukwudi Iwuji recast in the DCU? Let us know on socials, and catch Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in theaters May 5!
