SDCC 2016: The ‘Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2’ panel revealed a lot about the sequel

Marvel Studios's 'Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2' panel was bursting with news and updates on the upcoming sequel.

This past Saturday, the San Diego Comic Con made way for the Marvel Studios stars and execs to showcase their upcoming projects, make some confirmations, and bombard us with hope for the future of the Marvel brand. Almost everything we could have wanted from their panel was presented, including 'Spider-Man: Homecoming', 'Captain Marvel', 'Doctor Strange', and the much anticipated sequel, 'Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2'.

Director, James Gunn, was more than generous with his presentation, giving fans some confirmations, exclusive footage, and, despite withholding a trailer, gave enough info to more than make up for it. Here's a comprehensive breakdown of everything presented:

(MINOR) SPOILERS AHEAD!

Movie Logo (Pictured Above)

First and foremost is the new movie logo. It's pretty much the same as the first movie's logo, but with a more retro, 80's sort of feel, much like Peter Quill himself.

The Ravagers

According to Gunn, The Ravagers play a much more important role in this movie. You may remember them as the crew of space pirates with which Peter Quill once associated himself. It seems that after the events of the last movie where their captain, Yondu, allowed Quill to get away after he swindled the Orb from them, they've turned slightly mutinous, questioning Yondu's decisions at every turn.

In addition to the former crew, there is a new cast of supporting Ravagers including Wretch, Half-Nut, Brahl, Gef, Oblo, Narblik, and one Ravager referred to as "Taserface".

Taserface

Without a doubt the weirdest name on the Ravager roster, Taserface will be played by Chris Sullivan (Stranger Things). Apparently, TF is the Ravager responsible for convincing the others to rethink Yondu as their leader, likely as a power play to take over as captain.

Yondu Udonta

Yondu, played by Michael Rooker (Mallrats, The Walking Dead), made an appearance dressed in his full head to toe GotGv2 costume. Speaking of "head", it looks like Yondu will be adapting a closer look to that of his comic book counterpart, sporting a massive "fin" of sorts on his head.

With the Ravagers beginning to turn on him, this movie could be where we start seeing him lean towards the side of the Guardians and become a member of the team, as he is in the comics.

Nebula

It seems that the cybernetic femme fatale, Nebula, played by Karen Gillan (Doctor Who), will also have a more prominent role in the sequel. Gunn made it clear that her stint in the first movie was just a taste of her character and he's had plans to make her a bigger part of the overall story since the beginning. This movie should be where we start to see that come to fruition. Considering that Nebula has a major role in the final Infinity Gauntlet storyline alongside Adam Warlock, this could be where we see the seeds of her "hand" in the fight against Thanos.

Ayesha

Elizabeth Debicki (The Great Gatsby, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.) was confirmed to portray a character called Ayesha. James Gunn describes her as the following:

Ayesha is the golden High Priestess of a genetically-perfect people called the Sovereign. She’s not a woman to be screwed with – she, and her entire world, are extraordinarily deadly.

Starlord's Father

Probably the biggest news from the entire presentation was the confirmation that Kurt Russell would in fact be playing the mysterious role of Starlord's father. While this in itself wasn't necessarily earth-shattering news, the bombshell came when it was revealed that he wouldn't be playing the cosmic overlord, Jason of Spartoi, as he is in the comics, but would instead be playing…Ego the Living Planet!

Now, there was no word on how this insane story element would mirror the continuity of the comics. The one question everyone immediately jumped to was "How is a planet supposed to father a human child?" Nova Prime (Glenn Close) mentioned in the first movie that Quill's father is "something ancient and unknown", but that's just vague enough to keep the mystery going. Did he start off as Jason eons ago and somehow became Ego? Does he take on a human form and consciousness somehow? Gunn assures everyone it will be explained and it will make sense, but the B that connects A to C…might be the most bat s**t crazy part of the MCU to date.

Guardians of the Galaxy- Mission: Breakout

Finally, James Gunn confirmed that the famed Tower of Terror ride at Disneyland would meet its final days and be updated as a Guardians of the Galaxy themed ride. The new ride will be called 'Mission: Breakout' and is expected to feature a more interactive experience.

While filming the sequel, Chris Pratt (Starlord), Zoe Saldana (Gamora), Dave Batista (Drax the Destroyer), and a few other recognizable cast members shot footage for the ride to be used once its open to the public.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 releases May 5, 2017!