Steven Yeun Says Sorry For Quitting Thunderbolts, Still Wants to Do a Marvel Movie

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The Walking Dead and Invincible star Steven Yeun has apologised for quitting the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Thunderbolts but assured fans he definitely wants to do a Marvel film in the future.

Speaking to Variety, Yeun confirmed it was shifting schedules that forced him out of the film, as Thunderbolts was one of several Disney films affected in a huge reshuffle caused by the dual writers and actors strikes of 2023.

“I think for me, time passing and things shifting kind of pulled me out of it,” Yeun said. “But Jake [Schreier] I know is going to do an incredible job.” Giving fans hope for the future, Yeun added plainly: “I wanna do a Marvel movie.”

Reports of his departure emerged earlier in January 2024, indicating Yeun would not feature in Thunderbolts despite being all but confirmed to be playing Sentry, who is perhaps the most powerful but most dangerous superhero in all of Marvel.

Yeun’s role was never made official by Marvel but widely reported based on insider information before The Walking Dead creator Robert let slip Yeun was set to play Sentry. The role will presumably be recast, though Marvel has yet to comment on the situation itself.

Thunderbolts will star the likes of David Harbour as Red Guardian, Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, Wyatt Russell’s U.S. Agent, and Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes as a Suicide Squad-like, anti-Avengers team.

Image Credit: Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.