Baby Groot gleefully wreaks havoc on Peter Quill's "Awesome Mix Vol. 2" on the "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" subscriber-exclusive cover of Empire magazine.
RELATED: "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2": James Gunn Reveals Ego's Powers
Although it was initially feared viewers might not connect with the character in Marvel Studios' hit 2014 film, Groot quickly became an audience favorite -- and he looks set to capture even more hearts as a baby in the seuqel. The Empire cover is reminiscent of the recently released Japanese poster, which depicted Baby Groot smiling and waving atop a pile of dynamite while holding a match.
Set just months after the events of "Guardians of the Galaxy," the sequel follows the team as they travel throughout the cosmos and struggle to keep their newfound family together while helping Peter Quill to learn more about his true parentage.
RELATED: "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" Clip Pits Rocket Against Star-Lord
Written and directed by James Gunn, the film stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Elizabeth Debicki, Chris Sullivan, Sean Gunn, Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” opens May 5.
(via Empire)