MCU Actor Exit Has Us Very Worried About Losing Marvel’s Superman From Phase 5

Steven Yeun’s departure from Thunderbolts rings an alarm for the future of Sentry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While never officially announced by Marvel, Yeun was set to play Bob Reynolds, Sentry, in the upcoming Marvel film Thunderbolts. The role had recently been revealed by Yeun’s The Walking Dead boss, Robert Kirkman, who let it slip that the actor had already tried on Sentry’s costume for the film. However, due to scheduling conflicts, Yeun has dropped out of playing Sentry in Thunderbolts.

Like most MCU projects, Thunderbolts was delayed because of the Hollywood strikes that stopped the industry last year. With Thunderbolts aiming to start filming in March or April, according to John Walker actor Wyatt Russel, that is a long delay from the MCU film’s initial planned shooting start of June 2023, which explains why Yeun’s busy schedule stopped him from continuing as the Marvel Comics’ Sentry in the MCU. With Thunderbolts losing its Sentry actor so close to the start of filming, there is reason to worry about Marvel’s Superman being dropped from Phase 5.

Related

Recasting MCU Sentry: 10 Actors Who Could Replace Steven Yeun In Marvel’s Thunderbolts

Steven Yeun is reportedly no longer playing the Sentry in the MCU’s Thunderbolts, but there are many actors who could replace him in the Phase 6 film.

Thunderbolts Need To Either Recast Sentry, Or Replace Him

While not physically resembling Sentry, Yeun was a perfect choice for the role. The actor possesses the acting skills to play the full range of emotions that come with Sentry, as Marvel’s Superman has both a charming side as Bob Reynolds and a terrifying one as the Void. Adding to that, Yeun has experience in the superhero realm, with the actor being the voice behind Mark Grayson in Amazon Prime Video’s hit adult animated series Invincible. There, Yeun also played a Superman-like hero to great reception, meaning that anyone who comes after him as Sentry would have big shoes to fill, especially since Yeun is also an Oscar-nominated star.

Still, fill it they must, as losing Sentry would be a major blow to Thunderbolts and the MCU’s Phase 5. The character was rumored to be both part of the team as Sentry and a powerful foe to Bucky Barnes and the rest of the Thunderbolts upon becoming the Void. Recasting Sentry for the movie is a must, but given that production for Thunderbolts starts in a couple of months, finding someone with the same kind of experience and star power that Yeun has on such short notice will undoubtedly prove hard, with the schedule issue that made Yeun drop out of the movie also affecting several major actors.

Why The MCU Needs Sentry

Sentry is an extremely rich character that can renew interest in the MCU. The fact that he is essentially Marvel’s Superman in terms of power is already a big draw; however, Sentry’s most interesting characteristic comes from his inner turmoil. Bob Reynolds trying to save the world while a part of him, the Void, actively attempts to take over him and destroy everything makes for a compelling story for the MCU to follow for years. With the MCU moving towards creating some mature stories through Marvel Spotlight, Sentry would fit in perfectly, as Bob Reynolds started as a drug addict before becoming Sentry.