Rumor Report: Will Yondu Appear In The Guardians Of The Galaxy Holiday Special?

On October 25, Marvel Studios released its first trailer for the "Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special," which will premiere directly to Disney+ on November 25. As its title suggests, the special will revolve around the Guardians of the Galaxy celebrating Christmas, in an attempt to cheer up Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) in the wake of Gamora (Zoe Saldana)'s "Avengers: Infinity War" death.

Though this "Guardians" Christmas special looks to be more of a fun diversion than a major chapter in their ongoing story, its first trailer nevertheless teases some new developments for the Guardians some viewers might find intriguing. Among various small details in the "Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special" trailer is a brief look at a new ship on which the Guardians now reside, as well as a significant growth spurt for Groot (Vin Diesel). Kevin Bacon also appears in the "Guardians" Christmas special trailer as himself, to the delight of some fans online.

While he isn't in this first trailer, Disney also revealed another intriguing addition to its upcoming "Guardians" release: Michael Rooker, who portrays Yondu in the first two "Guardians" films. Of course, Yondu is dead in "Guardians" canon, bringing into question the precise nature of Rooker's "Guardians" Christmas special role.

News that Michael Rooker will appear in the "Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special" began circulating on October 25 in a Disney press release confirming his casting accompanying its first trailer. Writer Alex Zalben shared a screenshot of this part of the press release, which lists Rooker's name at the end of a cast list, alongside cameo appearances by Kevin Bacon and the country rock band The Old '97s.

While Rooker is a part of the "Guardians" Christmas special, then, his precise involvement remains a mystery. This leaves a couple of possibilities, one of which is that the actor will somehow appear in an unprecedented context, whether that's a cameo as himself or as a new character, in a nod to his importance to the "Guardians" universe. Of course, another and perhaps more likely possibility is that Rooker will indeed portray Yondu once again, but in a flashback sequence.

The fact that Peter's fondness for Christmas appears to be a big part of the impetus for the special's Christmas celebration makes the likelihood of a flashback in which a young Peter celebrates the holiday with Yondu a distinct possibility. Until either Disney shares more details about Rooker's character, or the special itself premieres, however, the exact nature of Rooker's role will remain a mystery.