In December of 2020, we got the surprise announcement at Disney Investors Day that Marvel was working on a new animated series called I am Groot, starring the voice talents of Vin Diesel and directed by animator Kirsten Lepore.
Marvel has said that “The series of shorts follows Baby Groot’s glory days growing up.” In March of this year, a snippet of I am Groot from Disney’s Annual Shareholder’s meeting appeared online, showcasing baby Groot in a classic photorealistic animation style.
I AM GROOT??😭😭 pic.twitter.com/SpgRr8zt7s
— ً (@wicckaris) March 9, 2022
Otherwise, details about the Phase Four project have been surprisingly slim. Some of this is likely since the project is animated – you’re not going to get set photos from that kind of a project. So, what are we left with? Production companies.
Earlier this week, we filled in the blanks for some of Marvel’s mystery LLCS and revealed the working title and production company for the upcoming Blade movie starring Mahershala Ali. And earlier this year, we unveiled new information about the production company behind Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha: House of Harkness show among others.
Now we’re exclusively able to do the same thing with another mysterious production company: Log Jam Productions, LLC. This company was originally revealed, with others, by Arlyn Murphy of Murphy’s Multiverse last year.
Based on our trusted sources, we can now confirm what some have guessed for a while now – I am Groot is using the production company Log Jam Productions, LLC. We have also learned and confirmed that the working title or codename for the project is “Lone Pine.”
While we have heard that this is just a single-season project right now, like many things in the Marvel Universe, that could change. We will be keeping an eye out for any more indications it could continue past season one.
When will I am Groot be released?
We know that I am Groot is scheduled to be released in 2022. There may be a clue to the specific release date time frame in an upcoming Funko release. According to Amazon, I am Groot will have a Funko Collector Corps box. Amazon says it will ship between May 28 to June 6 of this year.
Traditionally, the Collector Corps boxes are timed to release with new shows or special events. If the box does indeed ship at the end of May, we could be seeing I am Groot on Disney+ very soon.
Because Funko production has a long lead time, their planned release have long been sources of hints about the story and unexpected characters in the MCU. For example, The Cosmic Circus recently reported on the new Ms. Marvel Funkos that hint at an interesting heroic cameo in the upcoming series.
Speculation about Baby Groot and his story
Groot first appeared in a comic book in Tales to Astonish #13 in 1960. But the character has gained renewed popularity since first appearing in Guardians of the Galaxy.
Tragically, the “old” Groot sacrificed himself during the Battle of Xandar in that same movie. But “new” Groot grew out of a twig that Rocket saved from the old Groot’s remains. We’ve watched the new Groot grow up from adolescence and seen him with a teenage attitude to boot. The progression of Groot growing up looks to continue.
The upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is getting ready to wrap, and director James Gunn posted a gift he received to celebrate the occasion. Zoom in, and you’ll see the ab-tastic grown Groot.
https://twitter.com/JamesGunn/status/1518602824703102976?s=20&t=P4owMB5qMSlj70Cc3gmiSQ
A much scrawnier Groot pops up in the new Thor: Love and Thunder teaser trailer for a brief moment too. So it will be interesting to see why he looks much different between Thor: Love and Thunder and the upcoming GotG Holiday Special and Guardian’s of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
So, let’s go back to baby Groot. Because Groot is grown in the latest MCU timeline, we’re going to make the logical jump that I am Groot will take place between the end of the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie and Avengers: Infinity War. That means the blip hasn’t happened yet, and there are still many adventures with the Guardians.
We don’t know much about Groot’s MCU origins, but perhaps the production’s working name, “Lone Pine,” can give us some insight.
In the 2007-2008 run of Annihilation: Conquest comics, we find out that Groot is the last surviving member of his species, called the Flora colossi. They’re from Planet X. Interestingly, last year, Vin Diesel suggested that we might get to see the planet, once referred to as Taluhnia, in I am Groot.
The gang visiting Groot’s homeworld sure sounds like an exciting place to explore story-wise. Earlier this year, storyboards suggesting some Guardians interaction appeared online. Storyboard artist Mark Hurtado posted an art set to ArtStation featuring Drax and Baby Groot.
It’s also possible that this show takes place way before Groot and the Guardians ever crossed paths. The show could cover the original baby Groot and why he left home.
For now, The Cosmic Circus team is keeping an eye on things with I am Groot. If you haven’t had your Marvel fill and want to dive deeper into some of the universes of stories, check out some of our other articles on the site.
Also, I wouldn’t be surprised if my buddy Vin (not Diesel) comes up with a Groot comics reading guide later this year. In the meantime, check out some of his other fantastic reading guides too.
Are you excited about the upcoming I am Groot show? What kind of troubles do you think the animated shrub will face? Will there be any cameos from the Guardians of the Galaxy? Please share your thoughts in the comments or with us on Twitter @MyCosmicCircus.
Sources: CBR / Amazon / The DisInsider / ComicBook.com / Murphy’s Multiverse / Marvel.com
