When Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 hits theaters next year, fans will be reunited a lot of familiar faces, from the Guardians themselves to former enemies like Nebula and Yondu. However, one of the characters who hasn't been confirmed to return is Taneleer Tivan, a.k.a. The Collector. Although Benicio del Toro expressed interest in reprising the eccentric hoarder, there were differing reports about whether he would appear in the sequel or if he wasn't included in the new story. Now new photos have found their way online that seemingly suggests del Toro will at least cameo in the movie.
Benicio del Toro was spotted wearing a white wig at the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 in Los Angeles. You can look at the pictures for yourself at The Daily Mail, but that wig looks exactly like the hairdo The Collector rocked in the first movie. The Guardians sequel concluded principal photography in June, but cameos and quick add-on scenes (particularly of the mid/end credits variety) are sometimes completed separately, so it's plausible that the actor popped in to shoot some material. While these pictures don't constitute official confirmation that The Collector will be seen in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, it's doubtful del Toro decided one day just to wear that wig for the hell of it.
The Collector appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy as the individual who hired Gamoa to steal the Orb, which he knew contained one of the Infinity Stones. When the Guardians arrived at his base in Knowhere, they saw his vast collection of prizes he'd found across the galaxy, including a Dark Elf, Cosmo the space dog and Howard the Duck. After seizing the Power Stone and making an offer for Groot's body when the walking tree eventually died, he narrated the history of the Infinity Stones. Unfortunately for him, his slave, Carina, tried to use the Power Stone to escape his clutches, but she set off a reaction that resulted in his gallery being destroyed. We last saw him in the movie's post-credits scene in the ruins hanging out with Cosmo and Howard, the latter of whom made fun of Taneleer.
As one of the oldest beings in the Marvel universe, The Collector is someone who can easily be expanded upon in the MCU. Benicio del Toro has expressed interest in exploring the character more deeply, and using him for only one movie would be a waste given his importance. Even if the actor doesn't end up being included in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 or his screen time is minimal, he could still be brought back for a future MCU installment. Given The Collector's history with the Infinity Stones, it's hard to imagine Marvel won't do everything they can to bring del Toro in for Avengers: Infinity War.
With or without The Collector, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 arrives in theaters on May 5, 2017, and Benicio del Toro will appear that following December in Star Wars: Episode VIII.
