One of Marvel Studios most anticipated films, Guardians of the Galaxy, hits theatres today. The film focuses on the titular team, a ragtag band of misfit mercenaries working together out of necessity more than convenience. (At least at first)
It got me thinking with Batista playing the role of Drax The Destroyer in the film, following in a long line of wrestlers-turned-actors, what other wrestlers, past and present, could fill out this team? As a big fan of both wrestling and comic books, the task was daunting. That said, I have a list of wrestlers who I think could do justice to Marvel’s latest big screen opus.
Peter Quill a.k.a. Star-Lord: Chris Jericho
Star-Lord is a man who thinks quite highly of himself, and whose mouth gets him into some trouble. While there are many who could fit that profile (Dolph Ziggler, AJ Styles, The Miz, etc.), Chris Jericho seems the most appropriate. Aside from the pompous attitude and big mouth, both are proven leaders: Quill with The Guardians, Jericho as a locker room leader and mentor to young wrestlers. Jericho has an innate adaptability, and can hold his own against most any combatant, a trait that is useful for an intergalactic bounty hunter like Star-Lord as well.
Gamora: Gail Kim
This one was difficult, as many women could fill the boots of the beautiful and deadly assassin Gamora. I had considered Lita because of her agility and fearlessness. I thought about AJ Lee or Daffney because they are both crazy enough, but decided that there needed to be a measure of control to balance the darkness. A deadly precision, so to speak, and that could perfectly describe the green-skinned assassin. In the squared circle, not many wield deadly precision better than Gail Kim. A fantastic high flyer, with some of the deadliest kicks of any female in the business, she’d have you looking at the lights before you knew what hit you.
Groot: The Great Khali
Khali may seem like the token choice to play the sentient tree-like creature, although he wasn’t the first person I thought of. I had considered Kevin Nash from his Diesel days, but ultimately I looked at who Groot is; a kind hearted being of few words who resembles a tree. Khali today could fit that description as well. Something else that they have in common is that Groots alien race is difficult to understand and often mistaken for sounding like they are saying “I am Groot”. It’s rare that Khali can be understood as well. However, the biggest reason I chose Khali is that prior to his wrestling career, he was a police officer, fighting for what’s right and using his enormous size to help others, not unlike the tree-like Groot.
Rocket Raccoon: “Rowdy” Roddy Piper
My original thoughts for Rocket and Groot were “The Dudes with Attitudes” Shawn Michaels and Diesel. I had looked at the team dynamic, the friendship that Groot and Rocket have and who reflected it in the wrestling world. However, the truth of the matter is, no one suits Rockets personality as well as the Hot Rod. Roddy is a wise-cracking crazy risk-taker who doesn’t care about the odds, just like Rocket Raccoon. Rocket may be a weapons expert, but Hot Rod has certainly seen his share of street fights and hardcore matches as well. One might say he utilizes his physical weapons (like the sleeper hold) to their maximum potential. To paraphrase Roddy, he’s come to kick ass and chew bubble gum, and he’s all out of bubble gum.
Drax The Destroyer: Tom Hardy
I’m sure you’re thinking, “wait a minute, Tom Hardy isn’t a wrestler!” and you’d be right, but therein lies the twist. With Marvel casting Batista, a wrestler, in the role of Drax for Guardians of the Galaxy, I thought it would be interesting to cast a non-wrestler for this occasion. While Hardy may not be quite as big as Batista, he has proven with roles in movies like Bronson and Warrior that he can put on muscle. He proved in his role as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises that he can play a cunning strategist, and cast a dark and imposing shadow.
Thanos: Andre The Giant
What would the Guardians be without their arch villain? And I can think of no better person, past or present, to play the Mad Titan than Andre The Giant. Has there been a more imposing force in professional wrestling? Some may say Brock Lesnar, but for me, Andre will always be the epitome and personification of The Unstoppable Force.
Those are my picks for a wrestler specific cast of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. What do you think? Was there a wrestler I should have picked but didn’t? Am I spot on, or way off? Let us know with the hashtags #GuardiansWrestlers and #LWOSwrestling
photo credit: meckert75 via photopin cc
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