James Gunn talks all things Rocket Raccoon in 'Guardians of the Galaxy' movie

Director James Gunn has gone on record as saying that Rocket Raccoon, a walking, talking raccoon with a gun, is the heart of Guardians of the Galaxy. In multiple interviews, Gunn talked about how they brought Rocket Raccoon to life on the screen and Bradley Cooper's importance to the project.

Thankfully, Comic Book Movie went ahead and compiled the pertinent quotes. First, Gunn spoke with British magazine Small Furry Pets and talked about how they brought a real raccoon onto the set during production and also stressed how crucial Cooper is to the project:

"We needed a raccoon to study how he looked and his behavior, so that our on-screen raccoon, which is generated through CGI will be realistic. Our Rocket is based on a combination of our voice actor, Bradley Cooper, our on-set actor, my brother Sean Gunn, the movements and behavior and look of Oreo, as well as my own animation... Bradley is one of those actors that can do drama and comedy equally well. He can do character work as well as being a leading man. These are important qualities in the role of Rocket - which is a lot more dramatic than you might think."

In an interview with Total Film, the director again called Rocket Raccoon "the heart of the movie" and added:

"He is most representative of the Guardians in the fact that he's this little mangled beast that was taken and experimented on and torn apart and put back together, and we have to feel that character's soul. If we see his plight, and see why he's such an angry little guy, then the movie will work." 

What do you think, fans? Does Guardians of the Galaxy still sound like a risky project to you, and what do you think of a raccoon as the heart of the film? Let us know in the comments below.