Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 concept art shows new, monstrous character

Writer-director James Gunn may now be inextricably linked with the Marvel franchise and his Guardians of the Galaxy films, but there was a time when the horror genre claimed the Dawn of the Dead remake scribe and Slither auteur as one of their own — so it’s nice to see the Guardians battling a genuine, holy-crap-what-is-that-thing? monster in newly released concept art for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, which was originally published by Empire magazine.

The social media-friendly Gunn tweeted that the creature is “an Abilisk” and went on Facebook to address the rather strange expression and pose of Baby Groot makes in the image. “He’s having a good time,” he wrote. “Baby Groot can be a little oblivious.”

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 opens May 5, 2017, and stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, and franchise newcomer Kurt Russell, among others.

See the new concept art below.