Michael Rooker and Zoe Saldana onstage during Marvel Studios' "Guardians of the Galaxy" presentation at Comic-Con International 2013. (Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
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Dave Bautista walks onstage during Marvel Studios' "Guardians of the Galaxy" presentation at Comic-Con International 2013. (Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
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Director James Gunn, left, and actors Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldana onstage during Marvel Studios' "Guardians of the Galaxy" presentation at Comic-Con International 2013. (Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
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Karen Gillan and Michael Rooker onstage during Marvel Studios' "Guardians of the Galaxy" presentation at Comic-Con International 2013. (Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
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Karen Gillan onstage during Marvel Studios' "Guardians of the Galaxy" presentation at Comic-Con International 2013. (Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
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Members of the "Guardians of the Galaxy" cast and crew onstage during Marvel Studios' presentation at Comic-Con International 2013. (Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
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Karen Gillan and Michael Rooker onstage during Marvel Studios' "Guardians of the Galaxy" presentation at Comic-Con International 2013. (Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
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Chris Pratt onstage during Marvel Studios' "Guardians of the Galaxy" presentation at Comic-Con International 2013. (Alberto E. Rodriguez / WireImage)
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Dave Bautista onstage during Marvel Studios' "Guardians of the Galaxy" presentation at Comic-Con International 2013. (Alberto E. Rodriguez / WireImage)
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Djimon Hounsou onstage during Marvel Studios' "Guardians of the Galaxy" presentation at Comic-Con International 2013. (Alberto E. Rodriguez / WireImage)
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Benicio del Toro onstage during Marvel Studios' "Guardians of the Galaxy" presentation at Comic-Con International 2013. (Alberto E. Rodriguez / WireImage)
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Lee Pace onstage during Marvel Studios' "Guardians of the Galaxy" presentation at Comic-Con International 2013. (Alberto E. Rodriguez / WireImage)
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Michael Rooker onstage during Marvel Studios' "Guardians of the Galaxy" presentation at Comic-Con International 2013. (Alberto E. Rodriguez / WireImage)
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Kevin Feige, left, and James Gunn onstage during Marvel Studios' "Guardians of the Galaxy" presentation at Comic-Con International 2013. (Alberto E. Rodriguez / WireImage)
LinkIt’s official — Bradley Cooper will voice Rocket Raccoon in Marvel’s upcoming “Guardians of the Galaxy.”
Marvel announced Cooper’s casting on its website Friday afternoon; numerous reports previously had tipped the Oscar-nominated actor as likely to land the role.
Set for release Aug. 1, 2014, “Guardians of the Galaxy” follows roguish antihero Peter Quill, a.k.a. Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) and his squad of aliens (including the furry, fan-favorite Rocket Raccoon) as they team up to battle cosmic threats. James Gunn (“Super”) is directing.
Actor Bradley Cooper will voice Rocket Raccoon in “Guardians of the Galaxy.”
(Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times/Marvel)
In addition to Cooper, the “Guardians” cast boasts plenty of stars familiar to fans of genre entertainment, as well as some seemingly unlikely newcomers. Zoe Saldana stars as Gamora, Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer, Lee Pace as Ronan the Accuser, Michael Rooker as Yondu, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Djimon Hounsou as Korath, Benicio del Toro as the Collector and John C. Reilly as Rhomann Dey.
Glenn Close (“Fatal Attraction,” “Mars Attacks”) also signed on to play Nova-Prime, the highest-ranking officer in Marvel Comics’ intergalactic police force Nova Corps. Though several comic characters have held the Nova-Prime title, all have been men.
It’s been a busy time for superhero casting news. Yesterday, Marvel revealed that James Spader would play the titular villain in “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” Joss Whedon’s sequel to his 2012 hit “The Avengers.”
Last week, Marvel’s chief rival DC announced that Ben Affleck would take over the cape and cowl from Christian Bale, playing Batman to Henry Cavill’s Superman in Zack Snyder’s upcoming sequel to “Man of Steel.”
Click through the gallery above to see images from “Guardians of the Galaxy” and shots from the Marvel panel devoted to the project at July’s Comic-Con International.
– Gina McIntyre
Follow us on Twitter: @LATHeroComplex
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Our legion of super contributors is led by Hero Complex editor Gina McIntyre and 
what a joke. you might as well scrap the whole movie! the movie will sell its self, so why use big name star. the movie would be a lot better with no names for the voices, but the rest of the cast is pretty spot on.