“The Walking Dead” star Michael Rooker has been set to reteam with director James Gunn on an upcoming horror movie “The Belko Experiment.”
Rooker took on the role of Yondu Udonta in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’, helmed by Gunn and released in 2014. In his post last Friday, the director also announced other actors who have signed on to the new horror flick. These include John C. McGinley (‘Scrubs’), Melonie Diaz (‘Fruitvale Station’), John Gallagher Jr. (‘The Newsroom’) and Tony Goldwyn (‘Scandal’).
“We’ve done three movies, two reality shows, a video game and a Web series together…,” Gunn pointed out, while also adding: “Did you ever think there was any possibility that my pal Michael Rooker would not be cast in our horror/action/thriller ‘The Belko Experiment,’ especially when it’s been comprised of such overwhelming talent? Of course not.”
Rooker joins the cast as Bud Melks, who works as the person in charge of all maintenance in the Belko Building.
The 60-year-old actor portrayed Daryl Dixon’s thug brother on ‘The Walking Dead’ and an arrow-wielding father figure to Peter Quill on ‘Guardians of the Galaxy.’ In contrast, Gunn revealed that Rooker will be playing a “pretty nice guy” on ‘The Belko Experiment.’
“He’s ill-equipped to deal with the mysterious forces who start making all of the employees in Belko start killing each other, unless they want to be killed themselves,” Gunn explained.
Based on Gunn’s script, the movie will be directed by Greg McLean and will follow the story of an American company and the events that took place after it was mysteriously cut off from the rest of South America.
Meanwhile, Goldwyn has been set to take on the role of Barry Norris, the head of the Belko Corporation.
According to Gunn, Norris has long been in charge of the Belko Building in South America; as such, the movie’s executive producer and writer explained: “…it isn't easy for him to start taking orders when the office employees are mysteriously forced to either start killing each other or be killed."
Gunn further wrote in a Facebook post that he has greatly admired Goldwyn's acting capabilities for a long time now, stating that he is "an outstanding actor with an incredible pedigree."
While Gunn will be producing 'The Belko Experiment’ alongside Peter Safran, he has also been set to helm and produce the sequel to ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’, which will hit cinemas on May 5, 2017.