Steven Yeun No Longer Starring In Marvel's Thunderbolts
It was first reported in February of 2023 that "Nope," "The Walking Dead" star Steven Yeun was finally joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe in what was described as a "significant mystery role" in "Thunderbolts." Months later it was confirmed that Yeun was going to play Robert Reynolds/The Sentry, a complicated super-figure who gains his powers from the sun and waffles between hero and villain status. The Sentry was the latest antihero figure to join the MCU, and with Yeun's star getting hotter after the explosive success of the Netflix series "Beef," his turn in Marvel's sandbox was one of the most anticipated roles of Phase Six. Unfortunately, at the start of 2024, mumblings started circulating that Yeun was exiting the project. And as was confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter on January 2, the rumors are true.
Important to note that while Yeun's involvement was never outright confirmed by Marvel, it was never denied, either. The confirmed casting includes Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, and David Harbour, as was made known during the D23 presentation in September of 2022. Harrison Ford is also set to reprise his role as Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross from "Captain America: Brave New World."
As is the case with every major blockbuster release, "Thunderbolts" has been delayed to 2025 as a result of the 100+ day-long WGA/SAG-AFTRA strikes due to the AMPTP's failure to make an appropriate deal in a timely manner. Meaning, "Thunderbolts" has yet to begin filming, and the new production time has rendered Yeun unavailable.
What does this mean for Thunderbolts?
Considering the film has yet to start principal photography, Marvel is in a much better position to recast Yeun than say, the whole Jonathan Majors/Kang situation. "Thunderbolts" is being directed by Jake Schreier ("Robot & Frank," "Paper Towns," "Beef"), who is also slated to direct episodes of the upcoming "Star Wars" series for Disney+, "Skeleton Crew." The script comes from Eric Pearson ("Thor: Ragnarok," "Black Widow," "Godzilla vs. Kong") and "Beef" showrunner Lee Sung Jin, which makes Yeun's exit triply depressing. The combination of Schreier, Sung Jin, and Yeun delivered brilliance with "Beef," and the kind of creative uniqueness the MCU desperately needs.
Fortunately, Yeun is still keeping very busy. He's not only one of the voiceover stars of the Prime Video superhero series "Invincible," but later this year he can be seen in Bong Joon-ho's "Mickey 17" and the upcoming feature "Love Me" alongside Kristen Stewart. He's also considered the frontrunner for the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Emmy for "Beef," with winners announced on January 15, 2024.
"Thunderbolts" is currently slated for theatrical release on July 25, 2025.