Movies - TV
It’s Always Sunny’s Glenn Howerton Was James Gunn’s First Pick For Star-Lord
By DANIELLE RYAN
The Hollywood Reporter revealed that “Always Sunny” star Glenn Howerton was director James Gunn's first choice to play Peter Quill, a.k.a. Star-Lord, in “Guardians
of the Galaxy.”
When Chris Pratt auditioned, he earned the role, but a Howerton Star-Lord would have transformed the tone of the movie. The film would have been meaner, edgier, and funnier.
Howerton could have gotten the Marvel physique required for the role, evidenced by his shirtless scenes in “It's Always Sunny,” as well as his commitment to his fitness.
Having worked on several sitcoms in front of and behind the camera, Howerton has the requisite comedic chops for Star-Lord, but he would have been much more sarcastic than Pratt.
Few actors throw insults quite like Howerton, and it would have been a blast to see him trade taunts with Bradley Cooper's Rocket Racoon and Zoe Saldana's Gamora.
Howerton has also had heartfelt moments in his TV shows that feel tonally consistent with “Guardians,” particularly the father-son story in “Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2.”
In the Peacock series “A.P. Bio,” Howerton's character — a sarcastic loudmouth — comes to terms with his father being an even bigger, more sarcastic loudmouth.
The “A.P. Bio” episode is a lot like Peter Quill coming to grips with his dad being a jerk in “Volume 2” and shows that Howerton had the range for the role.
A Howerton Star-Lord would’ve been fun, but had it come to fruition, there may not have been an “A.P. Bio” at all, or Howerton might have left “It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”