Kurt Russell officially cast in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

In announcing the start of production for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Marvel Studios has confirmed that actor Kurt Russell has been cast for a part in the film.

His exact role in the movie remains a mystery, but Russell has been linked to rumors claiming he'll play Star-Lord's (aka Peter Quill) father.

In a press release accompanying the announcement, Marvel also confirmed that the sequel to 2014's superhero hit will have a major emphasis on discovering who Star-Lord's father is. The brief synopsis reads:

"Set to the all-new sonic backdrop of Awesome Mixtape #2, "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" continues the team's adventures as they unravel the mystery of Peter Quill's true parentage."

In a separate post on Facebook, director James Gunn also confirmed Russell's casting, offering nothing but praise for the actor. "My favorite movie as a small child was The Strongest Man in the World, so I'm glad to announce that, yes, Kurt Russell has joined our cast and, yes, he is more awesome a dude than I ever could have imagined," Gunn said.

Other newcomers to the film include  Pom Klementieff ("Oldboy"), Elizabeth Debicki ("The Great Gatsby," "Everest"), and Chris Sullivan ("The Knick," "The Drop"). And, of course, much of the original cast will return, inclduing Chris Pratt ("Jurassic World") as Peter Quill/Star-Lord; Zoe Saldana ("Guardians of the Galaxy," "Star Trek Into Darkness") as Gamora; Dave Bautista ("Spectre,"  "Guardians of the Galaxy") as Drax; Vin Diesel ("Guardians of the Galaxy," "Furious 7") as the voice of Groot; and Bradley Cooper ("Joy," "American Sniper") as the voice of Rocket.

Guardians of the Galaxy is slated to hit theaters on May 5, 2017, continuing Phase 3 of Marvel's Cinematic Universe.