Warning! Spoilers ahead for The Guardians Of The Galaxy Holiday Special

James Gunn reveals how Michael Rooker's Yondu was brought back for The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. Released November 25 on Disney+, the 44-minute television special is the second Marvel Studios Special Presentation set within the Marvel Cinematic Universe following the Halloween-themed Werewolf By Night. The holiday special, which was written and directed by Gunn, begins with Kraglin telling the Guardians of the Galaxy the story of how Yondu ruined Christmas for Peter Quill when he was a child. This opening flashback scene, which is animated, features the return of Rooker's blue-skinned Ravager after he sacrificed himself to save Star-Lord at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

Now, a few days after its debut on Disney+, James Gunn revealed the innovative way Yondu was brought back for the holiday special. On Twitter, Gunn shared a behind-the-scenes photo of Rooker and Luke Klein (who voices a young Peter Quill) on set and explained how the special used rotoscoping animation. The old-school technique, which was famously used by Ralph Bakshi for his animated Lord of the Rings movie from 1978, films the actors in live-action first before the footage is traced over frame-by-frame to create realistic animation. Check out Gunn's post below:

Related: Guardians Of The Galaxy Holiday Special Easter Eggs & MCU References

Will Yondu Return For GOTG Vol. 3?

Yondu dies in space to save Quill in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2

Yondu's return in the GOTG Holiday Special opens the door for him to potentially return again in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Gunn shot the two Guardians projects simultaneously, so it is possible that while Rooker was filming the holiday special, he shot some additional scenes for the threequel. This seems more plausible now since, as revealed by Gunn's BTS photo, Rooker was actually on set filming in person for the holiday special, as opposed to recording voiceover, which doesn't require an actor to be on set.

Ever since Yondu's death in Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Gunn has been adamant about not reversing the character's death, which would undermine the emotional impact of his sacrifice in Vol. 2. With Gunn at the helm again on Vol. 3., it seems the only way for Yondu to return is through a flashback. Although, Rooker's character would have to be brought back for a good reason and, just like in the holiday special, there would have to be a narrative justification for including him in a flashback in Vol. 3.

Rooker's return in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special was revealed ahead of time through a cast listing. At the current time, it's important to note that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3's cast list does not include Rooker's name. This doesn't completely nullify Yondu's chances of returning, but it is something that fans should keep an eye on as the threequel nears its release date in May 2023.

More: Guardians Of The Galaxy: Holiday Special Post-Credits Scene Explained

Source: James Gunn/Twitter

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