Now that production on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is underway, we’re learning more about the new faces that will be appearing alongside the returning players. Earlier this month, Pom Klementieff was confirmed as Mantis, while Kurt Russell, Elizabeth Debicki, and Chris Sullivan have been added in undisclosed roles. Now a fifth newcomer has apparently joined the sequel: Scottish actor Tommy Flanagan, who’s made a living playing tough characters.
Tommy Flanagan is reportedly playing one of the Ravagers in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, specifically the "right-hand man" of Yondu Udonta, a role being reprised by Michael Rooker. I assumed that title belonged to Kraglin, played by Sean Gunn, but perhaps there was a regime change in between the first and second movies. Heroic Hollywood has also heard that the Ravagers will have a bounty on Rocket in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, though they don't know why. Maybe the talking raccoon stole one of their cybernetic appendages for his own amusement. That wouldn't surprise anyone.
In Guardians of the Galaxy, we learned that Yondu and the Ravagers kidnapped Peter Quill as a boy to deliver him to his still-unidentified father. However, Yondu opted to keep Peter with the gang of space mercenaries instead. After Peter struck out on his own to steal the Orb, a.k.a. the Power Stone, Yondu and the Ravagers chased him down to retrieve it, but later helped the Guardians battle Ronan and his forces on Xandar in exchange for the Orb. Since Yondu wasn’t mad that Peter had switched out the Infinity Stone with one of his Troll dolls, we figured that the Guardians wouldn’t have any more trouble from the Ravagers, but evidently that’s not the case.
Whether or not Tommy Flanagan looks like a regular human or will be wearing makeup in the sequel, having him play one of Ravagers is smart casting considering his past work. As Yondu’s right-hand man, we’ll surely be seeing more of him compared the rest of the Ravagers, but more importantly, Flanagan’s character will also likely be busting some heads on his captain’s behalf.
Tommy Flanagan’s cinematic credits include Face/Off, Gladiator, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, and Alien vs. Predator. TV-wise, he starred as Filip "Chibs" Telford in Sons of Anarchy, and had guest spots on shows like 24, Revenge, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Fans of Fox’s Gotham recently saw him as Tom "The Knife," a criminal associate of Selina Kyle’s who intimidated Silver St. Cloud into giving up the name of the man who killed Bruce Wayne’s parents. He's very good at playing bad men.
Currently shooting in Atlanta, Georgia, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 flies into theaters on May 5, 2017.
