EXCLUSIVE: Guardians of the Galaxy‘s Michael Rooker has joined Universal’s Fast & Furious 9 in the role of Buddy, in what is a last minute addition to the production which is currently underway.

Rooker joins Vin Diesel, Charlize Theron, John Cena, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Ludacris, Tyrese Gibson, and Helen Mirren who have been previously announced.

Dan Casey wrote the screenplay from a story by Justin Lin. Pic’s release date is May 22, 2020. Diesel is producing the sequel through his One Race Films and Lin for Perfect Storm Entertainment.

Rooker is on a roll with a slew of parts in upcoming 2020 features including in Blumhouse/Sony’s Fantasy Island (on Feb. 28) and Paramount/21 Laps’ Monster Problems (on March 6), in addition to Amazon/MRC’s The Dark Tower pilot. Recently Rooker starred opposite Mahershala Ali in HBO’s third season of True Detective which landed nine Primetime Emmy nominations.

The actor is well known for his portrayal of Yondu, the blue-faced scavenger mentor to Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill in Disney/Marvel’s $1.6 billion-grossing Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, as well as Merle on AMC’s The Walking Dead. Rooker received a Teen Choice Award nomination for “Choice Scene Stealer” in Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2.

Rooker’s credits include such pics as Alan Parker’s Mississippi Burning, Harold Becker’s Sea of Love, Oliver Stone’s JFK, and Tony Scott’s Days of Thunder.

The actor is repped by The Gersh Agency and LINK Entertainment.