Marvel's Thunderbolts Has Apparently Found Its New Sentry As Lewis Pullman Replaces Steven Yeun
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has seemingly found its new Sentry. Though it hasn't been officially confirmed by the folks at Marvel Studios, it has been reported widely that the character will appear in the upcoming "Thunderbolts" movie that is set to conclude Phase 5 of the MCU. Recently, Steven Yeun ("The Walking Dead," "Minari") announced his departure from the film, which left the production with a pretty big problem to solve.
According to Deadline, Lewis Pullman is the man who has been tasked with solving that problem. The 30-year-old actor, best known for his work in movies like "Top Gun: Maverick" and "The Strangers: Prey at Night," is now poised to join his biggest franchise yet. Jake Schreier ("Robot & Frank," "Paper Towns") is directing "Thunderbolts," which is expected to begin filming in the coming months. While plot details have yet to be revealed, the Thunderbolts are not unlike DC's Suicide Squad, in that it's historically a team of villains who end up going on dangerous missions.
Marvel has already confirmed an ensemble of familiar faces for the film, including David Harbour (Red Guardian), Hannah John-Kamen (Ghost), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine), Sebastian Stan (Winter Soldier), Wyatt Russell (John Walker), Olga Kurylenko (Taskmaster), and Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova). Production has been pushed back several times, most recently due to last year's Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild strikes following the AMPTP's failure to present an equitable deal in a timely manner.
Marvel wasted no time replacing Steven Yeun
The fact that Disney and Marvel Studios replaced Yeun so quickly signals that they are very serious about getting cameras rolling without further delays. Pullman is undoubtedly a very fine actor, having showcased his talents in under-seen gems such as "Bad Times at the El Royale." This will offer him the chance to shine in a high-profile project. More than that, this is a role that could stand a cut above the average guy in a cape situation.
For those who may not be familiar, Sentry is a very powerful character whose power rivals that of Superman, described as having the "power of one million exploding suns." He first appeared in a 2000 Marvel Knights miniseries (written by Paul Jenkins with artwork by Jae Lee) before appearing later in books like "Dark Avengers." His alter ego is Robert Reynolds, but he's also afflicted with a personality disorder. It just so happens that one of his other personalities is also his archenemy named The Void. Sentry also had a character-defining appearance in the beloved "World War Hulk" storyline.
That offers a lot for an actor like Pullman to chew on. One of the bigger questions we're left with for the time being is whether or not this will be more of a one-off role like Ultron in "Avengers: Age of Ultron" or if we could be looking at a Loki situation where Sentry could have a larger role to play in the MCU for years to come. Time will tell. Whatever the case, it's Pullman who will (apparently) be suiting up for the job.
"Thunderbolts" is currently set to hit theaters on July 25, 2025.