Guardians of the Galaxy adds Walking Dead star

Michael Rooker is to join the slowly-growing cast of Marvel's 'Guardians of the Galaxy'.

The star of 'The Walking Dead' – he's best known for playing one-handed redneck survivor Merle – will play the role of Yondu in the comic book adaptation.

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From the comics, Yondu, a Zatoan tribesman from Centauri IV, was a founding member of the cosmic team, and though without superpowers of his own, he is a hunter and a mystic.

Rooker has worked several times with the Guardians director James Gunn, notably on 'Slither' and Gunn's previous take on the superhero genre, the excellent 'Super', with Ellen Page and Rainn Wilson.

He joins Chris Pratt, who is playing the leader of the Guardians, Peter Quill, aka Star-Lord.

Also among the cast are 'Avatar's Zoe Saldana who is playing Gamora, and martial arts and WWE star David Bautista, who will play Drax.

So far there is no news on who will play the film's villain Thanos, tree-creature Groot, or Rocket Raccoon, the laser-toting space mammal.

Production of the film begins in the UK this summer, with a slated release date of August 1, 2014.