Although Bradley Cooper reprising his role as Rocket Raccoon in "I Am Groot" Season 2 is a pleasant surprise, it isn't the proper return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe that fans are anticipating. So when exactly could that happen?
At this point, it's hard to say, as the ending of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" certainly teased more adventures on the horizon for the new team, but without an official confirmation of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 4," or some form of a sequel, all eyes turn to the next team-up movies, "Avengers: The Kang Dynasty" and "Secret Wars," for their most likely return. Theoretically, Rocket could return outside those films in a project like "The Marvels," given that the movie further explores the cosmic side of the MCU. Granted, no information suggests this is the case, but it's not out of the realm of possibilities for Rocket to appear in the film's post-credits scene, teasing yet another future cameo.
Another option could be that Rocket finds a home on Disney+. It wouldn't drop anytime soon, but "I Am Groot" director Kirsten Lepore told ComicBook.com that she'd love to explore more of Rocket within the animated shorts format, saying, "What would a Rocket one look like? You know, baby raccoon stories?" The concept could explore a young Rocket's adventures after he escapes the High Evolutionary, bringing more light-hearted stories to the character's emotional backstory. All we need to see is a young Rocket meet a Baby Groot, with both Cooper and Vin Diesel returning as their respective characters.
