Marvel has reportedly found its Steven Yeun replacement for its forthcoming Thunderbolts movie.
First revealed by industry insider Daniel RPK and picked up on by The Hollywood Reporter (THR), Lewis Pullman has been tapped for the role of Sentry – aka Bob Reynolds – in the superhero film. Yeun was originally set to play the superpowered individual, but walked away from the project in early January. Scheduling issues are believed to be the chief cause behind the Invincible star's departure.
In collaboration with @rDCUleaks, I can report that Lewis Pullman has the current offer for Sentry in THUNDERBOLTS. pic.twitter.com/2RCYNRwCYLJanuary 25, 2024
With principal photography rumored to begin in March, Yeun's withdrawal left Marvel scrambling for a substitute. Just weeks after Yeun's departure seemingly engulfed Marvel in a new casting crisis, though, the Disney subsidiary has landed a worthy replacement in Pullman
The 30-year-old might not be an immediately recognizable face to most, but the son of acclaimed actor Bill Pullman has delivered numerous great performances in the last few years. Most recently, he starred opposite fellow Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) star Brie Larson in highly-rated Apple TV Plus series Lessons in Chemistry – a stand-out role that nabbed him a 2024 Critics Choice Award nomination.
Pullman has also featured in sci-fi mystery thriller Outer Range (alongside another MCU star in Josh Brolin) on Prime Video, Catch-22's latest adaptation on Hulu, and in the $1 billion-plus-making Tom Cruise-fronted action spectacle Top Gun: Maverick. An appearance in Marvel's Thunderbolts, however, would arguably be his biggest role to date, particularly in light of rumors suggesting Sentry will be integral to its plot.
Praying that lightning doesn't strike twice
Daniel RPK and THR haven't unofficially confirmed Pullman's hiring – he's only believed to have been offered the role – so it's unclear if he'll be the latest star to join Marvel's cinematic juggernaut.
The comic book giant will be hoping, though, that lightning doesn't strike in the same place twice. It would be a huge headache if Pullman signed on to appear, only to leave like Yeun did – or, even worse, turn down the role just weeks before filming on Thunderbolts is apparently set to start. The Marvel Phase 5 project was first announced in July 2022, but is yet to enter full production due to the 2023 Hollywood actors and writers strikes. Last year's industrial action led principal photography (and, by proxy, its release date) to be pushed back multiple times.
Thunderbolts is far from the only MCU project that's been beset by problems, though. Fellow Phase 5 film Blade has spent the past few years in production hell, Captain America 4 and Ironheart have been delayed due to reshoots, and Daredevil: Born Again has been overhauled after Marvel decided to rework the entire Disney Plus show following reports it wasn't living up to expectations.
Throw in Jonathan Majors' firing as Kang the Conqueror after he was found guilty of multiple domestic abuse charges, two big box-office bombs in 2023, and reports of crunch endured by overworked visual effects artists, and Marvel's reputation has taken a hefty blow over the last 12 months. With the strikes, production delays, and casting issues seemingly behind it, the studio will be praying for a much calmer 2024 – and securing the services of Pullman would be a good start.
