As it turns out, Nathan Fillion was never actually going to appear in-person in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 after all. Opening to massive financial success and a mostly positive critical reception, the Guardians of the Galaxy sequel has quickly become yet another successful addition to Marvel Studios' ever-growing cinematic universe, and one that sets its titular team down a very interesting path moving forwards. Considering the beloved nature of the first Guardians film, that just speaks to how well in-tune writer and director James Gunn appears to be with this universe and these characters.

Much to the excitement of Marvel fans everywhere, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is packed to the brim with unexpected Easter eggs and comic book references. From the shockingly high amount of post-credits scenes in the film, to the arrival of unannounced comic book characters, or some of the planets and worlds that the Guardians pass by throughout the film -- there certainly wasn't any shortage of "freeze frame" moments for fans to go and pour over in the coming months.

However, one of the film's rumored cameos that wound up not playing any role in the finished version of the film was Nathan Fillion as Simon Williams/Wonder Man, which some early set photos had seemingly confirmed, prior to the film's release. But according to James Gunn in a new, spoiler-heavy Facebook Live Q&A, Fillion was never at any point, actually going to appear in Vol. 2:

"There is no Nathan Fillion cameo and there never was a Nathan Fillion cameo. In those posters, and only in those posters, Nathan Fillion was Simon Williams."

Nathan Fillion Guardians

This is an interesting bit of news since, just recently Fillion himself appeared to reveal a small look at a cameo appearance he actually filmed for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, though, it's possible that might have just been a joke. He and Gunn have, after all, known each other for years, and had worked with each other even prior to Gunn's involvement in the Guardians film franchise.

Of course, Fillion did have a small cameo role in the first Guardians film, voicing one of the blue aliens that gets taken down during the Guardians' escape from the Kyln. But since the role itself was so minor and easy to miss, and Fillion didn't even physically play the character, fans have been holding out hope ever since that he might finally be cast in a live-action role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Whether that'll  happen sometime down the line or not will still have to wait to be seen, but it looks like, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was never going to provide that chance for the actor.

Source: James Gunn

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