James Gunn says David Bowie was under consideration for a cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

We were shocked and saddened earlier today to learn that rock icon and actor David Bowie passed away at the age of 69 from cancer. Now, James Gunn has revealed on his Facebook that the Ziggy Stardust singer was offered (and interested in) a cameo in the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Read Gunn’s heartfelt thoughts below.

“Just a very short while ago Kevin Feige and I were talking about a cameo role in ‘Guardians Vol. 2,’ and he brought up Bowie’s name,” wrote Gunn. “I told him nothing in the world would make me happier, but I heard from common friends he wasn’t doing well. We heard back that he was okay and it could potentially happen. Who knows what that was about? But, for whatever reason, it made my Twitter revelation more of a surprise.”

Even though the director is still reeling from the news, he left open the possibility of including another Bowie track in the sequel.

“Bowie was an idol of mine, huge and omnipresent,” Gunn continued. “Few artists in any field have had as an indelible impression upon me as he has. To my mind, Ziggy Stardust is perhaps the greatest rock and roll album of all time. We featured “Moonage Daydream” in Guardians, but I always thought the album’s character was felt far beyond that, in the aesthetics, in the integral and seemingly-natural linking in popular culture of ’70’s rock and space opera. I’ve been trying to work another song from Ziggy into the sequel, which would make Bowie the only artist to have a song on both Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. I thought this was fair and appropriate. Although I cut the scene it was used in from the script, we have the rights. Who knows. Maybe I can figure a way out.”

The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 cast will once again feature Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, and Bradley Cooper as unlikely heroes who must team up in order to defeat a cosmic force of epic proportions. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 will debut in theaters on May 5, 2017.

[Gallery not found]