As one goes through the Marvel movies in order, there’s a good mix of stories that have one character that’s unquestionably the main protagonists, and others that are ensemble pieces. One of the upcoming Marvel movies that falls into the latter categories is Thunderbolts, which will see characters like Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian and Taskmaster teaming up. Until today, The Walking Dead’s Steven Yeun was also set to star, but now that’s no longer happening, and I’m wondering what this means for his rumored Marvel character.
THR has confirmed that Yeun will not appear in Thunderbolts, though it’s unclear why he exited the project. However, given that like many Hollywood productions, this Marvel movie was delayed due to the writers and actors strikes, this may simply boil down to scheduling issues, although we can’t take creative differences off the table just yet. Along with well known for playing Glenn in The Walking Dead, Yeun already has superhero media experience from voicing Mark Grayson in Invincible (which can be viewed with an Amazon Prime Video subscription), and his other notable credits include Minari, Sorry to Bother You, Nope and Beef.
Actors dropping out of movies as high-profile as Thunderbolts isn’t anything new, but it is important to note that Steven Yeun was reportedly set to play an especially important role in this flick. Back in November, Invincible creator Robert Kirkman let slip that the actor had come back from a “costume fitting for the Sentry.” Marvel Studios still hasn’t confirmed this information.
For those unfamiliar with Sentry, a.k.a. Robert Reynolds, he’s a middle-aged character with Superman-like powers who forgot he used to be a superhero. However, rather than being a traditional protector of the innocent like DC Comics’ Man of Steel, it’s revealed that Sentry’s arch-nemesis, a.k.a. The Void, is actually his darker alternate self. As such, Sentry is depicted as a villain when The Void is in control of the body rather than Robert.
With Steven Yeun now gone, it’s possible Sentry will simply be recast, and nothing else about Thunderbolts will change. However, with Thunderbolts now not coming out until summer 2025, plus the news that Captain America: Brave New World is having “additional scenes and material” written, I can’t help but wonder if Thunderbolts might be going through scripting changes too. Specifically, what if the reason Yeun is no longer in the movie is because Sentry’s role has been reduced or removed entirely?
Granted, that’d be a big leap to take, especially since Wyatt Russell. Who’s still attached to the Thunderbolts cast, said that filming is set to begin in March or April. Still, with Sentry presumably playing a big role in this story, if we don’t learn who’s taking over the role from Yeun within the coming months, then I’ll be even more curious to learn what the future holds in store for the character. Other actors still attached to the Thunderbolts include Sebastian Stan, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Hannah John-Kamen, Olga Kurylenko, Harrison Ford and Aye Edebiri.
Directed by Jake Schreier, Thunderbolts will arrive in theaters on July 25, 2025. Meanwhile, use your Disney+ subscription to revisit the previous appearances from the starring lineup of characters, and keep your eyes peeled on CinemaBlend for news on who will fill the void (pun fully intended) left behind by Steven Yeun, who will next star opposite Robert Pattinson in Mickey 17.
