Guardians Galaxy Vol 2 New Logo

Marvel Studios put together an impressive presentation during their Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2016, teasing several of their upcoming projects for the crowd in attendance. Of course, one of these movies was Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, the sequel to 2014's breakout hit directed by James Gunn. Even though the film recently wrapped principal photography, the fans were treated to several minutes of footage, which had several major reveals. It was confirmed that Kurt Russell is playing Star-Lord's father, Ego, and Hollywood action icon Sylvester Stallone has a role in the movie.

Stallone was rumored to be appearing to be playing a Ravager in Yondu's (Michael Rooker) crew when Vol. 2 was in production during the spring. Officially speaking, his part is still a mystery one and since Stallone was only briefly seen in the Hall H sizzle reel, there aren't many clues available to analyze. But now, Gunn has stepped in to clear the picture a little bit, as much as he can at this stage in the game.

Following Marvel's panel, the director spoke with Cinema Blend, who asked him Stallone's role in Guardians 2. Gunn obviously couldn't dive too deep into the secrets, but he did imply that the Oscar nominee isn't just going to be an amusing cameo. His character adds some value to the narrative:

"It's a very, very key, important role. It's not a huge role. He's a great and key supporting actor."

Rocky Balboa leaning on a ring in Creed.

This will certainly raise plenty of questions regarding how exactly Stallone factors in. From the sound of it, he may not have the most screen time, but will make a sizable impact on the plot. Gunn's quote suggests that there could be some kind of plot twist involving Stallone, so it will be interesting to see how it all pans out. It's nice that Gunn is set on keeping some aspects of the film under wraps, maintaing surprises for the audience when they settle into the theater to watch it. Moviegoers are already excited to see the team of Star-Lord, Gamora, Baby Groot, and Rocket Raccoon back on the big screen, so there's no reason to elaborate too much on certain elements.

No matter what character Stallone is playing, his involvement with Guardians 2 is a welcomed development for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which keeps adding top notch talent with each installment. Sly had a nice comeback last year when the Rocky spinoff Creed became a critical and commercial hit, and ideally that will continue with a trip through the cosmos. When given strong material, Stallone can deliver a powerhouse performance, and Gunn is certainly a more than capable of giving Stallone another memorable role to add to his résumé.

The biggest takeaway from all this is that Guardians 2 is aiming to be much larger in scope than its predecessor, ramping up the stakes and adding high-profile additions to what was already a star-studded ensemble. Gunn and his team know that after the first Guardians became a runaway hit critically and commercially, expectations are going to be through the roof for the sequel. By now, Marvel definitely has a good hold on things and understands the magnitude of each undertaking. Whatever Gunn has in store for Stallone, it should be fun to watch it take shape.

NEXT: Guardians of the Galaxy 2 Hall H Footage Description

Doctor Strange opens in U.S. theaters on November 4, 2016, followed by Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2– May 5, 2017; Spider-Man: Homecoming – July 7, 2017; Thor: Ragnarok – November 3, 2017; Black Panther – February 16, 2018; Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 – May 4, 2018; Ant-Man and the Wasp – July 6, 2018;Captain Marvel – March 8, 2019; Avengers: Infinity War Part 2 – May 3, 2019; and as-yet untitled Marvel movies on July 12, 2019, and on May 1, July 10, and November 6 in 2020.

Source: Cinema Blend