Guardians of the Galaxy The Benicio Del Toro Thread - Who Is He Playing?

[Mr. Dent]

If we get no news on a Thanos casting by the time the press release comes out at the end of this month then I will be willing to believe this Collector is a fake theory. Until then, it just sounds too based on thinking Marvel wants to keep faking fans out for no reason and go to the well with the same idea.

 

[Mr. Dent]

1. Benicio del Toro neither looks nor acts anything like the canonical Collector.
2. The Collector would be a very extraneous character to include in a story that seems to be about the Guardians of the Galaxy being on the run from cops and criminals trying to nab something valuable they have in their possession. Maybe "The Collector" wants it, too; but the canonical Collector is more of a kidnapper than a thief. He steals people, not objects.
3. How *the* hell could you possibly franchise an incredibly obscure and typically generic "Neutral Alien Elder With Godlike Powers" into Hollywood popcorn fare, with sequels and spinoffs already lined up?
4. It's Benicio Del Toro, one of Hollywood's perennial Oscar-baiters. They're gonna get him to play him....?
5. Thanos has still not been cast, nor announced. Yet Jim Starlin said he's in the movie. All hints point towards him being in the movie. How could Thanos *not* be in a movie that features (potentially) so many characters whose very existence is predicated on Thanos? Drax, Gamora, Adam Warlock, Nebula, Moondragon, Mar-Vell....Do you think they've got someone *even bigger* than Glenn Close, Benicio del Toro, John C. Reilly or Zoe Saldana waiting in the wings to nail the final "OMG HOLY **** " casting trophy?

I take issue with this.

1. As opposed to Thanos...and he's an actor for a reason.
2. We don't know this. We don't know what the structure of the story is or what the item they have is.
3. That's not generic...and the same way they're "franchising" all the other silly comic elements in the other movies. Not to mention the talking Raccoon and tree in this movie.
4. And what's wrong with that? Whatever character BdT is playing will be a lead, and that includes the Collector. He may even be a main villain in A2. I think you're letting your pre-conceived notions from the comic influence what you think of the character being brought to the MCU.
5. They'd want to take their time casting him anyway and for all we know he just doesn't have a big enough role in the film to cast him yet.

The Collector is indescribably boring in the comics. BDT doesn't like to play boring characters. James Gunn doesn't like to film boring characters. None of it makes sense in a movie about Guardians of the Galaxy.

And you're saying they can't make the character more exciting...because? BdT would undeniably bring more life to the character, and the character's base concept is not boring, it's just not used to its full potential in the comics. Marvek can reinterpret the character and make it more compelling, as they've done with other characters.

 

[cherokeesam]

Look at it this way: if the rumormongers are right, then John C. Reilly, Lee Pace, and Benicio del Toro are lined up for more Marvel movies, and we can expect Phase III spinoffs from high-demand characters like.....Nova Prime, Ronan the Accuser, and The Collector....??? :headscratch:

Or: does it make more sense to say that the rumormongers are wrong/have been deliberately misled, and these guys are *actually* playing heretofore uncast members of the Guardians of the Galaxy, and all this talk about "future movies" just means that they're all part of a planned GOTG2?

Which makes more sense to you?

 

[SlamAdams]

Or those really the only options? At the very least I would say each actor/character have their own set of circumstances, and Reilly might not be in the same boat as del Toro in terms of their future at Marvel

 

[Joeyjojo72]

Lol at anyone wanting an actor who "looks" like Thanos or the Collector or ANY of the generically drawn faces from the comics. Absurd for obvious reasons.

And for the MILLIONTH time, the MCU is a SEPARATE UNIVERSE than the comics (yeah the ones that are constantly rebooting and retconning and changing creative teams). Id compare it to the Ultimate Universe, but since this is a totally different medium, we should exepect even MORE changes from the comics canon. This is a good thing. New stories are a GOOD thing. Re-imagined villains are a GOOD thing.

The bottom line is that Marvel and the MCU have been remarkably faithful to the comics in the way theyve adapted their heroes. They deserve tons of leeway when it comes to storylines and villains. And with a relatively unknown property thats already been rebooted within the comics themselves, they should let their artistic license run wild. Go nuts Marvel. F**k canon!!

Oh, and the Collector (if the rumors are true) will do just fine as a villain. It will all depend on the writing and performance.

 

[Ash Talon]

Great post, Joeyjojo72.

I find it odd that people just can't think outside the very tiny box of preconceived notions that the comics have given them.

Saying an actor doesn't look like a comic character is rather silly. Most of the actors cast in any Marvel haven't really looked like the character they were cast as. Hell, people complained about Chris Evans not looking like Steve Rogers when he was cast.

People also have to remember that Thanos, who they're obviously building up to be the villain in Avengers 2 or maybe not even until Avengers 3, tricked an Infinity Gem out of the Collector. The Collector could very well be a/the villain in GOTG. Maybe he's even trying to collect one of the Infinity gems (the main story in GOTG?). Thanos could take it from him in the beginning of Avengers 2 or another Marvel film, as well as taking other gems from different characters (who we haven't met in films yet). So we get to see just how powerful Collector is by how much trouble he gave the GOTG/Nova Corps/Kree all over a gem. Then, we see Thanos take him out later (different movie or post-credits part of GOTG?) and also take out other guys for other gems. This would really establish how powerful Thanos is. And Marvel only needs to establish one of the gem holders (Collector) to do so. Could work very well.

 

[Zarex]

Oh, and the Collector (if the rumors are true) will do just fine as a villain. It will all depend on the writing and performance.

It's entirely possibly that the Collector will be a memorable on-screen protagonist - though if Gunn is set on featuring an elder of the universe I would prefer the Grandmaster. But his depiction in the comics has been, to put it mildly, uninspiring. The Avengers could get away with a lame-o villain, but a new and risky project like Guardians needs the scary purple guy grinning at the end of the Avengers movie.

I simply don't see why BDT would sign a multi film deal with Marvel to be a not-so-cool villain while Feige & Company continue to try and fill Thanos' size 22 boots. Also, merchandise featuring an elderly cosmic hoarder would be a much harder sell than stuff featuring an armored purple space-god. Superhero hype poster and casual MCU viewer alike will be disappointed if the big guy doesn't play a major role in Marvel's space opera, and it doesn't make much sense to hold him out for the Avengers when that sequel is guaranteed to make $1 billion plus at the box office. Thanos' presence is needed in August of 2014, and I think BDT will do great in that role.

 

[Rowsdower!]

If he's playing The Collector, then I want to hear Nine Inch Nails' song The Collector played whenever he walks into a room.

 

[cherokeesam]

Great post, Joeyjojo72.

I find it odd that people just can't think outside the very tiny box of preconceived notions that the comics have given them.

Saying an actor doesn't look like a comic character is rather silly. Most of the actors cast in any Marvel haven't really looked like the character they were cast as. Hell, people complained about Chris Evans not looking like Steve Rogers when he was cast.

People also have to remember that Thanos, who they're obviously building up to be the villain in Avengers 2 or maybe not even until Avengers 3, tricked an Infinity Gem out of the Collector. The Collector could very well be a/the villain in GOTG. Maybe he's even trying to collect one of the Infinity gems (the main story in GOTG?). Thanos could take it from him in the beginning of Avengers 2 or another Marvel film, as well as taking other gems from different characters (who we haven't met in films yet). So we get to see just how powerful Collector is by how much trouble he gave the GOTG/Nova Corps/Kree all over a gem. Then, we see Thanos take him out later (different movie or post-credits part of GOTG?) and also take out other guys for other gems. This would really establish how powerful Thanos is. And Marvel only needs to establish one of the gem holders (Collector) to do so. Could work very well.

I'm all for thinking outside the box, and saying **** canon, and agree that a dull character like The Collector could be blown up into something amazing, like Shane Black did for Aldrich Killian in IM3. What I'm doing is going on what we *know* about GOTG the movie and the MCU so far, and how very little the recent rumors have ANYTHING to do with that.

The simple *fact* remains that we're still waiting on casting news from several principal roles: Rocket Raccoon, Groot, and Thanos. I just find it highly unlikely that they'd start peppering the casting news with a bunch of roles that have *nothing* to do with characters that are part of the franchise mythos. And even more unlikely that they'd cast *these* peripheral characters before they'd cast the central roles.

It'd be like Joss Whedon announcing the cast for the heroes and villains of Avengers 2 --- by reading off a laundry list of Squadron Supreme characters and their villains.

 

[SlamAdams]

It'd be like Joss Whedon announcing the cast for the heroes and villains of Avengers 2 --- by reading off a laundry list of Squadron Supreme characters and their villains.

Oh come one, its not at all like that

 

[JB-the-Hunter]

The Collector is one of those principal roles... according to the trades at least.

 

[cherokeesam]

Oh come one, its not at all like that

Really? A "Guardians of the Galaxy" movie gets a whole influx of (unsubstantiated) casting news about --- Nova Prime, The Collector and his assistant, Ronan the Accuser, The Controller, an unnamed female "lead villain", and the head of the Nova Corps....while saying nothing about actual Guardians like Rocket and Groot, and prime villain candidate Thanos?

I dunno, believe what you want. For now, I'm taking all of this with a huge grain of salt until we get *official* casting news, which should be coming soon. If the rumors turn out to be true, then at least maybe Gunn will give some kind of indication where all this is going plotwise, and how a bunch of unrelated cosmic characters tie in to the story we've seen illustrated in the concept art storyboards. Right now, I don't get the connection(s).

 

[Son of Coul]

I was also thinking The Collector could be Thanos's alias after DCMF's news. Not like some big twist, but just taking those elements and using them to enhance Thanos's story/character, like Killian and the Mandarin (again, not the twist, just the way they sort of fused their elements). Not to sound like I'm in denial or anything, I just thought it'd make sense to do for this. Also it would suggest that Ophelia Lovibond as "The Collector's Assistant" could be Lady Death.

But maybe BdT's just the Collector. That's cool too; I'm curious what he'll be doing in this to warrant a high-calibur actor and a "lead" role that could expand to future movies. And totally excited as always.

 

[SlamAdams]

Really? A "Guardians of the Galaxy" movie gets a whole influx of (unsubstantiated) casting news about --- Nova Prime, The Collector and his assistant, Ronan the Accuser, The Controller, an unnamed female "lead villain", and the head of the Nova Corps....while saying nothing about actual Guardians like Rocket and Groot, and prime villain candidate Thanos?

I dunno, believe what you want. For now, I'm taking all of this with a huge grain of salt until we get *official* casting news, which should be coming soon. If the rumors turn out to be true, then at least maybe Gunn will give some kind of indication where all this is going plotwise, and how a bunch of unrelated cosmic characters tie in to the story we've seen illustrated in the concept art storyboards. Right now, I don't get the connection(s).

Besides the fact that casting supporting cosmic Marvel characters that are not even the slightest out of place in this movie is not even comparable to Squadren Supreme's possible inclusion in the MCU in general......

So what if they started casting supporting players before finishing the main cast? It's not that big of a deal. They could still be negotiating. They could still be looking. They aren't going to sit on their hands trying to find someone for one principle member of an ensemble, when there are dozens of other characters to cast, especially when those principle members are only voices. I wish I could find it but I thought they said Thanos wasn't getting that big of a role in this movie anyway. That it was more groundwork for a future Avengers. The choice for Thanos is probably going to be an all hands on deck situation. As much faith as they have shown in Gunn they certainly aren't going to let him cast Thanos by himself. Gunn was pretty clear that when he found Pratt and Bautista he had to go to the studio and plead his case

I'm also not that intrigued by their use of BIG names in (possibly) small roles considering they got Anthony Hopkins and Tommy Lee Jones to play small roles.

At the same time, I wouldnt be surprised that de Toro isn't playing Collector. The is about as confirmed as the Guardians of the Galaxy post-credits sequence in iron Man 3

 

[VulcanVader]

The part that doesn't makes sense to me is that Del Toro has supposedly signed for many movies...
IDK, but... a villain like The Collector in more than one movie?

 

[Mr. Dent]

He's an Avengers villain. He should be in both this and Avengers.

 

[cherokeesam]

He's an Avengers villain. He should be in both this and Avengers.

He's an Avengers villain, and therefore should be in an Avengers movie, I'll grant you that. He has *never* been in a Guardians of the Galaxy comic, nor has he had interactions with them. So why should he be playing a major role in their story?

 

[DocHoliday]

He's an Avengers villain, and therefore should be in an Avengers movie, I'll grant you that. He has *never* been in a Guardians of the Galaxy comic, nor has he had interactions with them. So why should he be playing a major role in their story?

This is purely speculation but maybe The Collector and Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver are somehow connected. Not related but maybe their power origin is tied to infinity gems?? Why he;d have a role in both films...

 

[SlamAdams]

He's an Avengers villain, and therefore should be in an Avengers movie, I'll grant you that. He has *never* been in a Guardians of the Galaxy comic, nor has he had interactions with them. So why should he be playing a major role in their story?

Continuity. Synergy. Synchronicity. The bigger picture of Phase 2 (if there is one). He's a space bad guy, its not like they're fighting Magneto or Dr. Doom

 

[cherokeesam]

Continuity. Synergy. Synchronicity. The bigger picture of Phase 2 (if there is one). He's a space bad guy, its not like they're fighting Magneto or Dr. Doom

They couldn't find a "space bad guy" from the *actual pages* of GOTG, like they have with every single other movie they've made....? Magus, The Universal Church of Truth and its Matriarch, Blastaar, Annihilus, The Phalanx, Ronan the Accuser, The Sh'iar Imperial Guard, Cancerverse Mar-Vell, Maelstrom, or the Big-Ass Purple Elephant In The Cosmo-Cinematic Room (aka Thanos)?

What would compel Gunn to dig through the bottom of the forgotten heap of 70s/80s cosmic soup to find a truly obscure villain who doesn't even have a connection to the titular characters?

 

[SlamAdams]

They couldn't find a "space bad guy" from the *actual pages* of GOTG, like they have with every single other movie they've made....? Magus, The Universal Church of Truth and its Matriarch, Blastaar, Annihilus, The Phalanx, Ronan the Accuser, The Sh'iar Imperial Guard, Cancerverse Mar-Vell, Maelstrom, or the Big-Ass Purple Elephant In The Cosmo-Cinematic Room (aka Thanos)?

They could have

What would compel Gunn to dig through the bottom of the forgotten heap of 70s/80s cosmic soup to find a truly obscure villain who doesn't even have a connection to the titular characters?

Don't know.

I'm not arguing this kind of stuff. I just find it strange that your conclusion is the cast is actually playing different characters and they are just having fun with us. Much of it hasn't actually been revealed. Much of it hasn't been confirmed. Other than Pratt, Zoe, and Bautista, the only people who've really been confirmed (at least as far as I can tell) is John C. Reilly and Glenn Close as members of Nova Corps (which isn't strange). I just think your taking a bigger leap than the facts are actually pointing too.

 

[cherokeesam]

They could have



Don't know.

I'm not arguing this kind of stuff. I just find it strange that your conclusion is the cast is actually playing different characters and they are just having fun with us. Much of it hasn't actually been revealed. Much of it hasn't been confirmed. Other than Pratt, Zoe, and Bautista, the only people who've really been confirmed (at least as far as I can tell) is John C. Reilly and Glenn Close as members of Nova Corps (which isn't strange). I just think your taking a bigger leap than the facts are actually pointing too.

Even the Nova Corps rumors *are* strange. There's no mention of an actual, you know, Nova yet (as either Rich *or* Sam), and as for Rhomann Dey? Yeah, that's great that they're talking about the Nova Corps' own version of Abin Sur, which certainly paves the way for our Richard Rider or Sam Alexander; but then the rumor gets totally wonky by describing Rhomann Dey (an alien) as a *human* liaison between the Guardians and SHIELD. SHIELD??? lolwut

The rumormill has gone totally off the tracks from an actual Guardians of the Galaxy story. The rumormongers are introducing all kinds of extraneous characters that sound like fun for the greater cosmic Marvel as a whole, but every single mention steals more and more of the spotlight from our title characters.

Again, it just makes *more* sense to believe that most of these new casting rumors, if there's any credibility there, would tend to point towards characters who make sense in the context of the Guardians of the Galaxy, and Thanos, who is clearly the GOTG nemesis. *If* the rumors turn out to be true, then Gunn has put together a kitchen-sink all-over-the-place mishmash of Cosmic Marvel that doesn't seem to have any cohesion whatsoever.

 

[Mr. Dent]

He's an Avengers villain, and therefore should be in an Avengers movie, I'll grant you that. He has *never* been in a Guardians of the Galaxy comic, nor has he had interactions with them. So why should he be playing a major role in their story?

This isn't strictly a Guardians comic movie, it's a Marvel cosmic movie. They're putting in and introducing a lot of cosmic elements in their retelling of the story. It doesn't matter that the Collector wasn't in the Guardains comic, all that matters is he has connections to Thanos and is an Elder, making him an essential part of Marvel cosmic lore. You're making a bigger deal out of this than it has to be and overthinking it.

 

[cherokeesam]

This isn't strictly a Guardians comic movie, it's a Marvel cosmic movie. They're putting in and introducing a lot of cosmic elements in their retelling of the story. It doesn't matter that the Collector wasn't in the Guardains comic, all that matters is he has connections to Thanos and is an Elder, making him an essential part of Marvel cosmic lore. You're making a bigger deal out of this than it has to be and overthinking it.

With the title of the movie being, you know, "Guardians of the Galaxy," I respectfully disagree.

I guess it all depends on how many cosmic titles the studio chooses to gamble on. If there's a Nova movie in the works, for instance, then GOTG doesn't have to carry *all* the cosmic load. If the rumormill is true, we're looking at potential spinoffs for Nova, Ronan, The Collector, god only knows who/what else.

 

[samsnee]

I thought for sure that they wouldn't really have Thanos as a major role in this movie and save him for Avengers 2. He'd be used more as a backstory, and not be a part of any action sequences. Which is why it makes me think BDT is Collector. The multiple films contract means nothing as Marvel does that for pretty much everyone.