The sequel to the hit superhero movie sees the return of Star-Lord, Drax, Groot, Yondu, Nebula and Gomara.

All can be seen in the pic published by Entertainment Weekly, as can a new character named Mantis, who is immediately to the right of Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord.

Mantis will be played by Pom Klementieff (seen in Spike Lee's Old Boy) and will reportedly be a friend, not foe, to the Guardians.

Exec producer Jonathon Schwartz told EW that Mantis ‘has never really experienced social interaction… Everything she learns about dealing with people, she learns from the Guardians of the Galaxy, which is a very weird group to learn your social intricacies from.’

Schwartz also revealed developments for the character of Groot, voiced by Vin Diesel, who ‘doesn’t have the wisdom and experience’ as he did in the preceding 2014 film: 'He’s a younger Groot and a more rambunctious Groot.

'The question is, is he the same Groot, just smaller? Or is he a different Groot that’s sprung up from the seed of the first Groot?’

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is due to hit theatres in May 2017.

 

Via Entertainment Weekly