"Guardians" Post-Credits Scene Marks Return Of...SPOILERS....

We learned  last week that critics who have already seen James Gunn's film adaptation of Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy" did NOT see a post-credits scene for for the film-with a plan in place to keep the surprise under wraps until it opens on Friday. It seems as if a bootleg copy of the post-credits sequence may have leaked just the same.

 SPOILERS AHEAD 

The scene was live over at Vulture very briefly before being pulled--It is essentially a one-off joke. Yet it boasts a surprise - a character Marvel owns and that Gunn has previously said that he's a big fan of. In a film that takes a lot of chances, the appearance is quite ballsy

The sequence opens on Benicio Del Toro as The Collector, beaten up and exhausted, sitting by what remains of his collection following events in the film. Cosmo, the Russian dog, comes over to lick his face as The Collector takes a drink from a green cup.

A voice offscreen says "What do you let him lick you like that for?" and pans over to.... Howard The Duck!!... This Howard doesn't look like the tubby, blue-eyed version seen in the 1986 film flop, it's a much more duck-like design. "Gross," the duck says before drinking from a similar green cup. Fade  to a title card: 'Howard the Duck created by Steve Gerber and Val Mayerik'.

SPOILERS END

The Guardians of the Galaxy comic book follows a US pilot who ends up in space during a universal conflict, then is forced to go on the run with a band of futuristic alien ex-cons.

Chris Pratt is Peter Quill/Star-Lord-The character is an interplanetary policeman and the Guardians leader who is born of a human mother and alien father.

WWE superstar Dave Bautista plays Drax the Destroyer who born as the human Arthur Douglas, whose family was attacked and murdered by the villainous Thanos (seen in the post-script of The Avengers--played by Josh Brolin in the Guardians film). Arthur's spirit was then placed into a powerful new body by Kronos, which resulted in Drax the Destroyer's creation. The superhero's powers include incredible strength and the ability to emit energy blasts from his hands.

Zoe Saldana is Gamora a "green-skinned humanoid who is the last of a species that was exterminated by a race known as the Badoon" who also "happens to be a skilled assassin."

"The Walking Dead" fave Michael Rooker plays Yondu Udonta who first appeared in a 1969. He hails from the Zatoan tribe on Centauri IV, the first planet to be colonized outside of the Sun's solar system in the 29th Century. Yondu does not possess any super-human abilities, but he is a skilled hunter with a bow and arrow, and has a mystical "sixth sense" that gives him limited empathic abilities with other life forms. He is one of the founding members of the group.

The lovely Ophelia Lovibond plays "The Collector" who "gathers artifacts and beings in the hopes of saving them from a foretold galactic annihilation."

John C. Reilly has been offered the role of Rhomann Dey in the film who is said to be "Agent Coulson of the 'Guardians' movies," a human agent who serves as a go-between with S.H.I.E.L.D. This is quite different from the comic character, described as an alien centurion in the Nova Corps. There's were reports that the studio was interested in either Hugh Laurie, Alan Rickman or Ken Watanabe to play the role of a colleague of the Dey's.

Glenn Close is "playing a leadership role in Nova Corps, the intergalactic space patrol. ... Close’s role would be the closest thing to the one that Samuel L. Jackson plays in Avengers movie.

Del Toro's Collector is billions of years old and does exactly that - collect rare or valuable items from across the universe. He also has the power of prophecy and created a museum of countless life forms to keep them safe from Thanos.

Lee Pace plays the villain Ronan The Accussor is an alien Kree with superhuman powers. He was a villain, but has become more heroic in the comics - so he'll probably have an arc in the film.

Actress Karen Gillan is set to play Nebula  a space pirate and the apparent granddaughter of Thanos.

Vin Diesel will be providing the voice for Groot who can absorb wood to gain strength, as well as control trees. The surprise here is that the is not as high as profile a role as many though it was going to be.

Bradley Cooper will provide the voice for Rocket Raccoon who has a penchant for big guns and is also a master tactician. He’s best friends with Groot and in the comics was captain of a starship.

Gregg Henry also stars. "Firefly" and "Castle" star Nathan Fillion has a cameo in the film.

Screenwriter Chris McCoy was hired to rewrite Nicole Perlman’s original script.