It’s hard to say who’s more adorable: the newest iteration of monophrasal tree-being Groot in the latest Guardians Of The Galaxy, Vol. 2 teaser, or Mark Ruffalo in literally anything. Tough call. They’re both so goddamned huggable. Interestingly, they’re also the sweet faces that belie two of the most powerful fighters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: towering adult Groot and the Hulk. And, according to Vin Diesel—who has voiced the sentient Flora colossus in two films so far—we might get to see these two brave warriors throw down in some unnamed future MCU installment.
When, during the press tour for xXx: Return Of Xander Cage, Diesel was asked by Screen Junkies if we could eventually expect to see Groot and Spider-Man side-by-side on the big screen, he kind of hedged. But then he offered a possibility far more tantalizing.
I think, if it’s up to [director] James Gunn, you’re going to see a Groot/Rocket movie after [Avengers:] Infinity War. I think that’s highly possible. We shall see. I know that, somewhere in the universe, you’re going to see Groot and Hulk battle. I know it. You can write it somewhere, you’re going to see that poster: Groot vs Hulk.
We actually have seen that poster already. Kind of. As Flickering Myth points out, Hulk and Groot got a chance beat each other to a pulp in 1976’s Incredible Hulk Annual, Vol. 1 #5, back when the extraterrestrial tree monster was still a supervillain and much more articulate.
Here’s the question, though. Does Vin Diesel actually have some inside information about this fight and a potential Groot/Rocky spin-off—and, if so, is he authorized to disseminate it—or is he just playing the speculation game like the rest of us over-enthusiastic dorks? Take a look at the actual footage of him offering the information (it starts about 20 seconds in). Slow it down. Enhance. Run it through a digital polygraph matrix. See if you can discern the truth for yourself. And then write back.