Marvel’s Thunderbolts movie is facing a significant casting shift as actor Steven Yeun departs from the project.
Steven Yeun was initially reported to be playing the powerful Marvel character Sentry in the upcoming film. This surprising change comes as the film, which hasn’t started production yet, experiences its latest cast adjustment.
Reports from The Hollywood Reporter indicate Yeun’s exit from the Thunderbolts cast. As of now, neither Yeun nor Marvel Studios has publicly commented on this departure. However, the filming delays from the 2023 Hollywood strikes could be a contributing factor to Yeun’s departure. Marvel Studios is expected to clarify the situation as Thunderbolts prepares for filming, now slated for Spring 2024 due to earlier delays.
Earlier in 2023, Yeun’s involvement in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) was first announced, with hints that he would portray Sentry, revealed by Invincible creator Robert Kirkman. However, this role now appears to be heading towards recasting following Yeun’s withdrawal from the film.
This departure leaves Marvel Studios with a decision: whether to recast the Sentry role or replace the character entirely in Thunderbolts. If Sentry remains a key figure, especially as a central antagonist, a new actor will likely be chosen swiftly. However, extended casting processes could further delay the film’s production schedule.
Yeun’s exit follows recent major recasting news in the MCU, including the firing of Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror. Yeun, acclaimed for his portrayal of Glenn Rhee on The Walking Dead, has received an Academy Award nomination for Minari and an Emmy nomination for Netflix’s Beef. He has also voiced the lead in Prime Video’s Invincible and is set to star in Bong Joon-ho’s Mickey 17.
Thunderbolts features a star-studded ensemble, including Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier), Hannah John-Kamen (Ava Starr/Ghost), Wyatt Russell (John Walker/US Agent), Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova), David Harbour (Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian), Olga Kurylenko (Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Valentina Allegra de Fontaine), and Harrison Ford (Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross).
Marvel’s Thunderbolts is set to strike in theatres on 25 July 2025.
Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, games, and comics — you name it. When she’s not reading or geeking out about the latest shows on Netflix, she’s probably playing Honkai: Star Rail, cosplaying, or daydreaming of meeting her idols.
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