While The Walking Dead star Steven Yeun was never officially announced as Thunderbolts' Sentry, his casting was reported on by the Hollywood trades and Robert Kirkman recently revealed that the actor had been for a costume fitting.
However, Yeun has since shocked fans by revealing he's pulled out of the upcoming MCU movie (you can read more about that here). While the strikes led to multiple delays, cameras will begin rolling soon and Marvel Studios now needs to find a new actor to step into the Golden Guardian's iconic suit.
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About The Sentry, The Movie's Rumoured Villain
On the page, The Sentry has blonde hair and blue eyes; however, there's no need for that to be the case on screen. Some will disagree with such a sentiment but, in the grand scheme of the Marvel Universe, he's relatively obscure and the hero's appearance has nothing to do with his personality.
So, to see which actors we think could take over as the MCU's Sentry, simply click on the "Next" button below.
5. Charles Melton
Charles Melton is best known for his role as Reggie Mantle in Riverdale, though you'll have likely seen him on the big screen in movies like The Sun Is Also a Star and Bad Boys for Life. Most recently, however, he's received awards attention for his performance in May December.
His star is on the rise, and a superhero role could launch him into the stratosphere. A mere 7 years younger than Yeun, this would be a less drastic recast than some of the other actors listed here and we've no doubt he'd deliver an impressive turn as this unhinged superhero.
Melton isn't a household name, but neither is Yeun, to be fair. That frees him and Marvel Studios up to reinvent the character as there won't be any expectations; remember, despite the obvious similarities, The Sentry is so much more than Marvel's Superman as he had a twisted dark side.
4. Keanu Reeves
Keanu Reeves has supposedly been talking with Marvel Studios for the last several years, so why not take this opportunity to have him play one of the MCU's most powerful characters?
We surely don't need to list the actor's many impressive credits, though The Matrix movies are a great example of the duality he can so easily portray on screen. We find it easy to imagine Reeves being a noble, mighty hero in one breath and an unhinged madman who embraces his inner darkness - The Void - in the next.
Thunderbolts boasts an impressive cast, but throwing someone like Reeves into the mix would give the project a true headliner who can bring more eyes to it. Despite not being a natural fit for The Sentry on the surface, we have a good feeling about this possibility.
3. Matt Smith
No, we haven't chosen Matt Smith just because House of the Dragon has proved he can pull off blonde hair! In fact, we'd bet a whole heap of you will look at this casting suggestion and think we've gone completely mad.
The British actor has had bad luck in Hollywood and failed to make the most out of terribly written roles in the likes of Terminator Genisys and Morbius. However, we've seen so much more of what he's capable of on television, whether it's the aforementioned Game of Thrones prequel or Doctor Who and The Crown.
Smith is one of the most underrated talents out there today and, provided he can bulk up, we believe he'd knock this role out of the park. It's as The Void he'd likely shine, but remember, Robert Reynolds was an unassuming nobody before becoming a hero so he needs to be more than just a hulking stereotypical good guy.
2. Ryan Gosling
Rumours continue to swirl that Marvel Studios is looking to cast Ryan Gosling in a future movie and this might be their perfect opportunity to have him suit up for a one-and-done role that gives the Barbie star a compelling character to sink his teeth into.
In terms of sheer comic accuracy, Gosling is easily the best possible suggestion on this list. He looks the part and is a powerhouse talent who can do the classic superhero thing and play the monster which emerges when this super soldier with the power of a million exploding suns becomes The Void.
It depends on how well the role is written because we still can't help but wonder whether there's more to Yeun's departure than he's letting on (particularly with Marvel Studios going through some major growing pains).
1. Henry Cavill
We're not sure if the timings would work out on this front, but imagine how wild Hall H would go at July's San Diego Comic-Con if Henry Cavill were announced as the new Sentry...in full costume, no less!
Some would argue that this is a downgrade for an actor who played the DCEU's Superman, but when regular moviegoers get to see how much more there is to The Sentry than meets the eye, expectations would be subverted hugely. Plus, we know from Mission: Impossible - Fallout that Cavill makes for a great villain.
There are arguments to be made on both sides when it comes to this possible casting and we can understand why the actor might have zero interest in playing a knock-off Man of Steel with a split personality. Then again, that might be where the fun comes in as an actor...
Thunderbolts is currently set to be released in theaters on July 25, 2025.