Is I Am Groot canon? The animated series about the MCU‘s favourite anthropomorphic tree is now available on Disney Plus. Over the course of several shorts, we see Groot get into all sorts of trouble in the sci-fi series, with Rocket Raccoon in tow on occasion.
A new Marvel series is always welcome, but this one’s a bit odd. On the face, it seems connected to the rest of the franchise, but all the animated shows so far have been on the periphery. What If…? is a multiversal anthology, and X-Men ’97 is so far unconfirmed to have any real impact on the live-action thriller movies.
Sure, we got Hayley Atwell as Captain Carter in Doctor Stranger in the Multiverse of Madness, but that was part of all timey-wimey, timeline traversal. Should I Am Groot be considered the same way? Fundamentally, is I Am Groot canon? James Gunn and Marvel Studios have both weighed in, but the answer is more complicated than you might think. Look, all we’re saying is sometimes the fence is indeed very comfy.
Is I Am Groot canon to the MCU?
This is really up to the viewer. Marvel Studios contends that yes, I Am Groot is canon to the wider universe. The show features the original voice actors of Groot and Rocket Raccoon, Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper, respectively, tying it explicitly to Guardians of the Galaxy.
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James Gunn, director of the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, has said he’s not sure where Marvel’s coming from on the timeline. “Some folks at Marvel seem to think it’s canonically MCU,” he stated in an Instagram story transcribed by GamesRadar. “I find that hard to see myself.”
He previously commented that the shorts are “not necessarily part of the Guardians saga”. Meanwhile, Brad Winderbaum, producer on I Am Groot, clarified exactly when on the Marvel timeline this all happens.
“It takes place actually between the end of Guardians 2 and before the tag scene in Guardians 2,” he told Comicbook. “So, it’s in this narrow window where Groot [is] in that kind of post toddler stage of development.”
Who’s right? We don’t know, but since the multiverse is a thing, we’re going to say that I Am Groot is canon, even if in an alternate timeline. You can watch I Am Groot on Disney Plus now. For other streaming choices, check out the best Netflix series.