James Gunn wanted David Bowie to cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy 2

Yesterday brought the sad news that legendary musician and sci-fi icon David Bowie had passed away following a battle with cancer. Tributes poured in from all over the world and one such remembrance came from Marvel alumni, James Gunn who revealed that he wanted Bowie to cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

"Just a very short while ago Kevin Feige and I were talking about a cameo role in Guardians Vol. 2, and he brought up Bowie’s name," Gunn posted on his Facebook page. "I told him nothing in the world would make me happier, but I heard from common friends he wasn't doing well. We heard back that he was okay and it could potentially happen."

Gunn - who had previously utilised a Bowie track in Guardians of the Galaxy - added that he would strive to include the artist in the Vol. 2 soundtrack: "We featured "Moonage Daydream" in Guardians, but I always thought the album’s character was felt far beyond that, in the aesthetics, in the integral and seemingly-natural linking in popular culture of '70s rock and space opera. I’ve been trying to work another song from Ziggy into the sequel, which would make Bowie the only artist to have a song on both Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. Although I cut the scene it was used in from the script, we have the rights. Who knows. Maybe I can figure a way out."

It's not hard to envision Bowie's otherworldly vibes chiming well with Gunn's Guardians universe, and it would only be fitting if the director managed to include a Bowie song on the soundtrack, no doubt introducing Ziggy's music to a new generation in the process. Here's hoping.

Directed by Gunn and starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel and Pom Klementieff, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 arrives in UK cinemas on April 28, 2017 before opening in US theatres on May 5, 2017.

Images: Marvel

Amon Warmann

Amon is a contributing editor and columnist for Empire magazine, but is also a Film and TV writer for GamesRadar+, Total Film, and others. He has also written for NME, Composer Mag, and more, along with being a film critic for TalkSport. He is also the co-host of the Fade to Black Podcast, and a video mashup creator. Can also do a pretty good Bane impersonation.