James Gunn Originally Wanted It's Always Sunny's Glenn Howerton As Star-Lord In Guardians Of The Galaxy

When "Guardians of the Galaxy" came out in 2014, people only really knew Chris Pratt as the lazy-but-lovable Andy Dwyer from the NBC series "Parks and Recreation," but soon everyone would come to associate him with Peter Quill, AKA Star-Lord, the leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Originally, Pratt almost didn't make the cut, as writer and director James Gunn wasn't sure that the guy known for being an affable goofball could pull off Star-Lord's sarcastic edge. In fact, he had a very different actor in mind: "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" star Glenn Howerton. 

Howerton is best known for playing "Sunny" character Dennis Reynolds — a not-so-secret sociopath who considered being compared to a serial killer a compliment — so he's about as far from Pratt's vibe as possible. In a retrospective on how the film came together, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Howerton ended up being Gunn's second choice after auditioning Pratt, which means that Star-Lord was almost a five-star-man. 

What would a Glenn Howerton Star-Lord have looked like? It would have definitely changed the whole tone of the movie because it's impossible to imagine Howerton playing the role with the same kind of sweet but slightly stupid himbo swashbuckling energy that Pratt does. Things would have likely been a little meaner, a little edgier, and potentially a bit funnier, but it would have been a very different movie. 

Howerton as Star-Lord is an interesting choice because he's a couple of years older than Pratt, with a much sharper edge to his comedic stylings. He absolutely could have gotten the Marvel physique required for the role, as evidenced by both his shirtless scenes on "It's Always Sunny" and his commitment to his health, as he's talked about on "The Always Sunny" podcast, so there are no concerns there. He also absolutely has the comedic chops, having worked on several sitcoms both in front of and behind the camera, though I imagine his Star-Lord would have been significantly more sarcastic. Star-Lord is already a bit of a smart-aleck, but Howerton's barbs would likely have an extra sting that Pratt's teddy bear tone wouldn't quite communicate. No one on this earth throws insults quite like Howerton, so it would have been a blast to see him trade taunts with Bradley Cooper's Rocket Racoon and Zoe Saldana's Gamora. 

The actor isn't all snide remarks, however, as he's delivered some heartfelt moments that feel pretty tonally in line with "Guardians," especially "Volume 2." In Howerton's Peacock series "A.P. Bio," his character (a sarcastic loudmouth) had to come to terms with the fact that his father (played by Bruce Campbell) was an even bigger, more sarcastic loudmouth. It's a lot like Peter Quill coming to grips with his dad (Kurt Russell) being a real jerk in "Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2," and shows that Howerton totally had the range for the role. Then again, maybe things are better this way.

Here's the thing: I absolutely adore Glenn Howerton's work, and I would have loved to see him as Star-Lord, but that might have meant he would have turned down other projects or even left "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." His character had to take a leave of absence when he made "A.P. Bio," and it's already tough for the show's crew to schedule around all of the stars' other TV and film commitments (seriously, they're all blowing up), so a Marvel shooting schedule could throw a wrench into everything. A Howerton Star-Lord could have meant no "A.P. Bio" at all, and that would have been a real shame. Howerton has been in a lot of fun projects in the years since "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1" came out, so maybe it's better that he didn't end up locked into multiple movies over more than a decade of his career. 

There's always a chance we could see Howerton (or any of the "Always Sunny" gang, for that matter) in another movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and he's still interested in playing a superhero too, but the stars just weren't aligned for him to play Star-Lord. He'd make a pretty killer Magneto, if you ask me. 

"Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3" hits theaters on May 5, 2023, starring Super Mario  Chris Pratt as Star-Lord.