I Am Groot | |
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Genre | |
Based on | |
Directed by | Kirsten Lepore |
Starring | Vin Diesel |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
Production | |
Executive producers |
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Production company | Marvel Studios |
Distributor | Disney Platform Distribution |
Release | |
Original network | Disney+ |
Chronology | |
Related shows | Marvel Cinematic Universe television series |
I Am Groot is an upcoming American animated series of shorts created for the streaming service Disney+, based on the Marvel Comics character Groot. It features characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The series is produced by Marvel Studios, with Kirsten Lepore directing.
Vin Diesel reprises his role as the voice of Baby Groot from the MCU films. I Am Groot was announced in December 2020. Production of the series' photorealistic animation had begun by August 2021, with Lepore and writer Ryan Little revealed in November.
I Am Groot is scheduled to premiere with five shorts on Disney+ on August 10, 2022, as a part of Phase Four of the MCU.
Premise
Each short follows Baby Groot as he grows up in the galaxy, going on adventures with new and unusual characters that get him into trouble.[1][2]
Cast and characters
- Vin Diesel as Baby Groot: A member of the Guardians of the Galaxy who is a tree-like humanoid.[1][3]
Episodes
The series' five shorts,[4] which were directed by Kirsten Lepore,[2] will be released on August 10, 2022.[4] Lepore and Ryan Little served as writers.[5][6] One of the shorts is titled "Magnum Opus".[7]
Production
Development
In December 2020, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige announced I Am Groot, a series of short films starring Baby Groot.[1][8] In April 2021, James Gunn, the writer and director of the Guardians of the Galaxy films, confirmed the series would be animated,[9] with Gunn serving as an executive producer on the series.[10] During the Disney+ Day event in November 2021, Kirsten Lepore was announced as the director and an executive producer of the series.[2] At that time, Ryan Little, a writer and script coordinator for What If...?,[11] was revealed by that series' head writer A. C. Bradley to be writing for I Am Groot.[6] Lepore was confirmed as a writer of the series in June 2022,[5] when it was confirmed to consist of five shorts.[4] The shorts are executive produced by Marvel Studios' Feige, Louis D'Esposito, Victoria Alonso, and Brad Winderbaum, in addition to Gunn and Lepore.[5][2]
Writing
In June 2021, Vin Diesel, who voices Groot in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), said Feige was excited about a planned story for Groot to return to his home Planet X.[12] Gunn stated that the series was not necessarily connected to the continuity of the Guardians of the Galaxy films or the MCU,[13] and were "canon to themselves",[14] with Joshua Meyer from /Film likening them to the Team Thor mockumentary shorts, given both were "funny bit[s] of apocrypha that isn't essential to MCU continuity".[13]
Casting
Vin Diesel was confirmed to be reprising his role as the voice of Baby Groot by June 2022.[3][5]
Animation
The series will feature a photorealistic animation style, and had begun production by August 2021.[15]
Marketing
Brief footage from the series was shown during Disney's annual meeting of shareholders in March 2022 within a content highlight reel.[16] The first poster for the series, announcing its release date, was revealed on June 5, 2022, which made the series "immediately [begin] trending online". According to Variety's Trending TV chart, it amassed 231,000 user engagements, which measure the combination of tweets, retweets, likes, and hashtags, the second most for the week of May 30 to June 5, 2022, behind the Netflix series Stranger Things.[17] Marvel Studios partnered with Wonderful Pistachios and Framestore for a "Groot Gets Crackin'" marketing campaign, featuring Groot across television advertisements, digital and social media posts, and limited-edition packaging for their pistachios, as well as in-store displays until August 31, 2022. A 15-second television spot was released on June 6, as part of the campaign. Tickets to attend Marvel's Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. in Las Vegas were also set to be given out randomly to customers who bought their pistachios as part of the campaign.[18]
Release
I Am Groot is scheduled to premiere with five shorts on Disney+ on August 10, 2022.[4] The short "Magnum Opus" will debut at the El Capitan Theatre, appearing before select screenings of Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), from July 18 to 24, 2022.[7] It will be part of Phase Four of the MCU.[19]
References
- ^ a b c Anderton, Ethan (December 10, 2020). "'Guardians of the Galaxy' is Getting a Live-Action Holiday Special in 2022 Before Vol. 3 Arrives in 2023". /Film. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
- ^ a b c d Hipes, Patrick (November 12, 2021). "Disney+ Day: All The Streamer's Film & TV News From Premiere Dates To Series Orders". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
- ^ a b Dick, Jeremy (June 5, 2022). "I Am Groot Poster Reveals August Premiere Date". MovieWeb. Archived from the original on June 5, 2022. Retrieved June 5, 2022.
- ^ a b c d Lerner, Jessica (June 6, 2022). "Disney+ Adds I Am Groot to Summer Lineup". Adweek. Archived from the original on June 6, 2022. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
- ^ a b c d Disney+ (June 6, 2022). "Disney+ Unveils Key Art and Launch Date for Marvel Studios' "I Am Groot" Shorts" (Press release). The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on June 6, 2022. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
- ^ a b Bradley, A. C. [@TheAshBradley] (November 12, 2021). "A special shout out to the Amazing Ryan Little who is writing this wonderful series!! Ryan also writes on #WhatIfMarvel and he is the absolute best. So proud!!" (Tweet). Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ a b Liu, Narayan (July 16, 2022). "Marvel's I Am Groot Short to Premiere Before Select Thor 4 Showings". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on July 18, 2022. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
- ^ Peters, Jay; Gartenberg, Chaim; Alexander, Julia (December 10, 2020). "Here are all the new Marvel, Star Wars, and other projects Disney announced at its investor day". The Verge. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
- ^ Gunn, James [@JamesGunn] (April 28, 2021). "[In response to "Hi Mr. Gunn, could you tell us if the "I am Groot" series is live-action or animated? Thanks!"] Animated" (Tweet). Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2021 – via Twitter.
- ^ Romanchick, Shane (November 12, 2021). "'I Am Groot' Gets Adorable Logo for Disney+ Shorts Series". Collider. Archived from the original on March 27, 2022. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
- ^ Salazar, Andrew J. (September 6, 2019). "'What If...?' Showrunner Ashley Bradley Talks 'Trollhunters', The Beginning Of 'What If...?', Captain Carter, The Watcher & Star-Lord T'Challa (Exclusive)". Discussing Film. Archived from the original on September 22, 2019. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
- ^ Davis, Brandon (June 15, 2021). "F9 Star Vin Diesel Teases Groot's "Return To Planet X" in Guardians of the Galaxy Special". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
- ^ a b Meyer, Joshua (June 5, 2022). "I Am Groot Animated Shorts Coming To Disney+ In August 2022". /Film. Archived from the original on June 6, 2022. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
- ^ Deboer, Riley (June 7, 2022). "GOTG's James Gunn Clarifies I Am Groot's MCU Canon Status". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on June 8, 2022. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
- ^ Vary, Adam B. (August 11, 2021). "Marvel Studios Planning 'Multiple' New Animated Series Following Debut of 'What If…?'". Variety. Archived from the original on August 11, 2021. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
- ^ Lang, Brad (March 10, 2022). "Disney Debuts First I Am Groot Clip". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on March 10, 2022. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
- ^ Dowling, Amber (June 6, 2022). "'Stranger Things' Maintains Twitter Buzz as 'I Am Groot' Roots Its Top 10 Debut". Variety. Archived from the original on June 7, 2022. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
- ^ Adams, Timothy (June 6, 2022). "Marvel Studios Celebrates I Am Groot Disney+ Shorts With Wonderful Pistachios Campaign". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on June 6, 2022. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
- ^ Paige, Rachel (December 11, 2020). "All of the Marvel Studios News Coming out of The Walt Disney Company's 2020 Investor Day Presentation". Marvel.com. Archived from the original on December 13, 2020. Retrieved December 14, 2020.