Is I Am Groot canon? (Does it take place in the MCU?)

What Marvel Studios characters are in I Am Groot? Is this Disney Plus program actually canon in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? 

I Am Groot will be making its Disney Plus debut on August 10. It doesn’t appear that the series of shorts will have a lot of moments that will make fans cry. However, who knows. This opinion is based on a trailer. Just because Groot and the beings in the animated shorts are cute doesn’t mean that the show won’t have deep and thought provoking moments. That is Marvel for you.

Whether or not the show will have viewers emotional remains to be seen. However, Marvel fans are curious to know if the shorts are canon to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Well, the answer is a complicated one, and some may be disappointed to find out that I Am Groot isn’t so canon that it impacts Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 but does that mean it isn’t canon at all?

Is I Am Groot canon to the MCU?

It’s unclear if I Am Groot is canon (and, if so, how canon it is), simply because there are conflicting explanations.

During an Instagram Q&A Guardians of the Galaxy mastermind James Gunn acknowledged that some people at Marvel see it as canon, but that he finds that “hard to see”. He added that they are “animated shorts so not necessarily part of the Guardians saga” but that they are “canon to themselves.”

However, Marvel Studios head of Streaming, Television and Animation Brad Winderbaum believes that the show is canon. As reported by ComicBook.com, he confirmed that the shorts take place shortly after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, saying:

"“It’s a narrow window, right? It takes place actually between the end of Guardians 2 and before the tag scene in Guardians 2. So, it’s in this narrow window where Groot [is] in that kind of post toddler stage of development.”"

There are two opinions here that contradict each other. On one hand, you’d want to believe James Gunn. But on the other, Marvel Studios seems sure that the project is set in the MCU. After all, it’s the same Groot and Vin Diesel does reprise his role.

As of now, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is James Gunn’s final movie for the franchise. If something major happens in I am Groot, he wouldn’t let a major part slip. Instead, he’d want people to enjoy the shorts and be surprised with what they see. Or, maybe I Am Groot takes place in another universe and this is something that will lead to more issues involving the incursion. We are in the midst of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga.

As of now, fans don’t know if any Guardians of the Galaxy members are in the show. According to IMDb, Vin Diesel (Groot) and Bradley Cooper (Rocket) are the only MCU stars in the show – which would make sense as their respective characters are both animated creatures and this is an animated series. But will it feature any wider connections to the MCU to confirm its placement?

Stay tuned to Bam Smack Pow to find out exactly what it is.

What do you think, readers? Are you going to watch I Am Groot on Disney Plus? Let us know in the comments below.