RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE, MANDATORY MENTION OF THE ARTIST UPON PUBLICATION, TO ILLUSTRATE THE EVENT AS SPECIFIED IN THE CAPTION / AFP / JUSTIN TALLIS (Photo credit should read JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images)" data-credit="AFP/Getty Images" src="http://o.aolcdn.com/dims-shared/dims3/GLOB/crop/5000x2650+0+419/resize/660x350!/format/jpg/quality/85/http://o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/midas/37df192dd4e7a7e8db1fcd08fdc20fac/203244340/504560960.jpg" data-mep="1102862" />The world is still reeling from the loss of singer, actor, and fashion icon David Bowie, and among the many famous mourners is James Gunn. According to the director, he wanted Bowie involved in the upcoming "Guardians of the Galaxy" sequel, and not just in a musical capacity.

Gunn posted a long message on Facebook ruminating on Bowie's passing, and what the star meant to him. The director said that Bowie's music helped him through a difficult period of kicking drug addiction, and inspired his use of music in his filmmaking by "imitating [Bowie's] perfect blend of oddness and familiarity, of irony and aptness."

Gunn planned on honoring his idol by including another Bowie song on the "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" soundtrack -- the only artist to appear in both "Guardians" films -- and in another, more visible way: With a cameo in the flick. The director explained that thought, which originated with Marvel head honcho Kevin Feige.

"Just a very short while ago Kevin Feige and I were talking about a cameo role in Guardians Vol. 2, and he brought up Bowie's name," Gunn wrote. "I told him nothing in the world would make me happier, but I heard from common friends he wasn't doing well. We heard back that he was okay and it could potentially happen. Who knows what that was about? ... [I]t made my Twitter revelation [of Bowie's death] more of a surprise."

For more of Gunn's thoughts on the musician, including Bowie's specific influence on the "Guardians" flicks, check out Gunn's full Facebook post below.

I usually find out about people dying on Twitter these days, as it's one of the first places I check on my phone when I...

Posted by James Gunn on Monday, January 11, 2016

[via: James Gunn]

Photo credit: AFP/Getty Images