Peta calls James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 ‘an animal rights masterpiece’
‘Through Rocket, James Gunn has put a face, a name, and a personality on the millions of vulnerable animals being cycled through laboratories as we speak,’ Peta spokesperson said
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The animal rights organisation Peta has handed director James Gunn a Not a Number Award for his depictions of “animal testing cruelty” in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3.
*Warning – minor spoilers ahead for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3*
In the Marvel franchise’s third instalment (released 5 May), viewers a shown a flashback of Rocket – the anthropomorphic raccoon voiced by Bradley Cooper – being tortured by the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji).
The film’s villain performed extensive medical procedures on Rocket to turn him into a sentient, powerful weapon.
When Nebula (Karen Gillan) watches the recordings of Rocket’s past, she says they are worse than any torture Thanos had put her through.
“Through Rocket, James Gunn has put a face, a name, and a personality on the millions of vulnerable animals being cycled through laboratories as we speak,” Peta Senior Vice President Lisa Lange said in a statement shared Monday (8 May).
“Peta is celebrating this as the best animal rights film of the year for helping audiences see animals as individuals and suggesting that just because we can experiment on them doesn’t mean that we should.”
The Independent has contacted Gunn’s representatives for comment.
In the release, which calls the film an “animal rights masterpiece”, Peta alleges that “like Rocket’s friends Lylla, Teefs, and Floor, most animals used in laboratories are killed after enduring a lifetime of suffering”.
The organisation recently condemned The Rings of Power after a horse died on the set of the Lord of the Rings spin-off.
A spokesperson for Amazon Studios shared that the horse died of a cardiac arrest. “It seems that living underground with the orcs is par for the course for the producers of The Rings of Power, because they have the option to use CGI, mechanical rigs and other humane methods,” Lange said in a statement at the time.
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
“Peta is calling on the show’s creators – and all other producers – to take on a new quest without using any real horses.
“If they can’t avoid exploiting animals for their art, they should find a new medium, because no one wants to see a spinoff for TV with torment as the theme.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments