‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’:The Collector Absent; Benicio Del Toro Talks Character's Fate

"Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" is not bringing back The Collector, according to director James Gunn. Benicio Del Toro, on the other hand, is optimistic that he will reprise the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Gunn took to his Facebook page recently to answer questions about the sequel when a fan asked whether Del Toro is back as The Collector. The director said the character does not fit the narrative of the film. "The Collector wasn't right for the story of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" because, although it's an incredibly enormous film, it's a much smaller film in certain ways with few characters," Gunn said as quoted by Comicbook.

Gunn's confirmation contradicts previous reports about The Collector's appearance in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2." Photos of Del Toro sporting the character's iconic white hair and costume were released online back in August, during the filming of the sequel. The images were reportedly from the set of the movie in Atlanta.

However, these photos could be from another movie, given that Gunn already denied that he is in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2." Perhaps Del Toro is back as The Collector in "Avengers: Infinity War." The actor was spotted at a record store in Atlanta, near where production took place for the film.

The Collector may not be in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," but this does not mean that he does not appear again on film. Del Toro has since sounded optimistic that The Collector will be back in another film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He told IGN that he would love to explore the character's story.

"I would like to keep developing the character based on what's written in the comic books," Del Toro said. The Collector may not be in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," but perhaps fans will see more side of the character when Del Toro reprises the role in "Avengers: Infinity War."