The Walking Dead star Michael Rooker has signed on to star in Guardians of the Galaxy as Yondu. The actor hinted in our exclusive interview from October that he wanted to play Rocket Raccoon in the Marvel Phase Two ensemble, a role which has still not been cast yet.

The character first appeared in a 1969 issue of the comic book Marvel Super-Heroes. He hails from the Zatoan tribe on Centauri IV, the first planet to be colonized outside of the Sun's solar system in the 29th Century. Yondu does not possess any super-human abilities, but he is a skilled hunter with a bow and arrow, and has a mystical "sixth sense" that gives him limited empathic abilities with other life forms. He was one of the founding members of the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Michael Rooker joins Chris Pratt as Peter Quill, Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer and Zoe Saldana as Gamora. James Gunn is directing from his own screenplay, based on the Marvel comic books. It isn't known when production will begin.

Director James Gunn and Michael Rooker previously worked together on Super and Slither.