A Guardians of the Galaxy spinoff TV show titled I Am Groot is now coming to Disney+. When the relatively unknown band of misfits known as the Guardians of the Galaxy were headed to theatres in 2014, many viewed it as a big gamble from Marvel. However, thanks to James Gunn’s wonderful story, which blends humor, music, and a colorful array of characters, it has become a staple of the MCU. Although each character works, there is arguably no character more popular in Guardians than Groot, or more specifically, Baby Groot. After Groot sacrifices himself at the end of the first Guardians, a new, more adorable version of the character was born for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2, Baby Groot.
Although many saw the baby version of the character as a wonderful marketing tool by Marvel, Gunn viewed it as a risk, but also a way to open up the sequel to new creative possibilities. Naturally, the character’s popularity had led to speculation about possible spinoff projects. Vin Diesel, who voices the beloved tree, once expressed his desire for a spinoff film featuring Groot and Rocket. There was also once a rumor that a show revolving around Groot and Rocket would join the many MCU TV shows coming to Disney+. However, nothing ever materialized with those ideas, but now there will be life for Groot (Baby Groot) outside of Guardians 3, and it will be on Disney+.
At Disney’s Investor Day, it was announced, amongst other exciting Guardians of the Galaxy news, that Disney+ will get a new original series titled I Am Groot, starring Baby Groot. Disney tweeted: “Everyone’s favorite little tree, Baby Groot, will star in a series of shorts on @DisneyPlus featuring several new and unusual characters.”
The concept of “a series of shorts” sounds like a perfect match for Baby Groot, as it not only allows Marvel/Disney to release a series revolving around the most popular incarnation of Groot but also they can do so in a manner that ensures the character does not overstay it’s welcome. Disney+ has created similar projects with beloved kid-friendly characters like Baby Groot in the past, as they recently released a short titled Once Upon a Snowman, which revolves around Olaf from Frozen. I Am Groot follows that trend and allows Marvel’s presence to grow on Disney+ while also allowing the streaming service to add more content to capture younger viewers. Also, with the addition of new and unusual characters, it will be interesting to see how Groot is explored in this new series and how much involvement Gunn has in the series as well.
I Am Groot added to the list of Guardians related announcements, as Marvel fans received the news that Guardians of the Galaxy 3 will be releasing in 2023, and Disney also announced that a Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (written and directed by Gunn) is releasing on Disney+ in 2022. The announcements mean fans will undoubtedly see plenty of Groot in the coming years, and even if Baby Groot doesn’t reappear in any upcoming projects featuring all of the Guardians, fans of the baby tree have I Am Groot to look forward too.
