Steven Yeun, star of The Walking Dead and Invincible, was initially cast as Bob in the Marvel Studios film Thunderbolts*, a role that would have seen him suit up as the Sentry. However, due to scheduling issues caused by the 2023 Hollywood strikes, Yeun was forced to drop out, and Lewis Pullman took over the role.
Concept art of Yeun as The Sentry has been revealed, showcasing the actor in the superhero suit. According to ComicBookMovie.com, the suit is largely the same as the one worn by Pullman, with Yeun’s character sporting blonde hair, reportedly at the behest of Valentina Allegra de Fontaine.
In an interview, Yeun discussed his departure from Thunderbolts*, stating: “I think for me, time passing and things shifting kind of pulled me out of it. But Jake [Schreier], I know, is going to do an incredible job. I wanna do a Marvel movie. It took a lot of drafts on email to make sure that I conveyed the sincerity of how sorry I was to have to back out.” (ComicBookMovie.com)
Yeun also expressed his interest in working with Marvel in the future, saying: “I think it’s too early to say that. I probably pissed off too many people leaving, so I’m just gonna say, ‘Thank you for having me.’ I have some ideas. But I heard if you put it out there, you’ll never get it, so I’ll keep it close to my chest.” (ComicBookMovie.com)
The cast of Thunderbolts* includes Florence Pugh as Yelena Boleva, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, David Harbour as Red Guardian, Wyatt Russell as U.S. Agent, Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster, Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, and Lewis Pullman as “Bob.” The film, directed by Jake Schreier, brings together an unconventional team of antiheroes who must navigate a complex web of alliances and rivalries.
Thunderbolts* has received praise for its unique take on the superhero genre, with ComicBookMovie.com stating: “Thunderbolts* redefines superhero storytelling to deliver a moving and powerful story that does for the ‘Multiverse Saga’ what The Avengers did for the ‘Infinity Saga’ in 2012. These heroes have earned their place on a Wheaties box.”
