MCU finds itself under a negative spotlight as Austin Abrams becomes the latest actor to reportedly reject the $29 billion franchise. It was earlier reported that Marvel was eyeing the Euphoria star for the role of Sentry in Thunderbolts. Abrams is the second actor from the AMC series, The Walking Dead, to reportedly turn down the role, following his co-star Steven Yeun’s exit from the role.
Thunderbolts, directed by Jake Schreier, will bring back fan-favorite characters like Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes and Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova. The Sentry, considered one of the most powerful Marvel anti-heroes, is set to play the villain in this ensemble anti-hero movie.
Also Read: Thunderbolts Is Reportedly Eyeing Another The Walking Dead Actor As Sentry After Steven Yeun’s Exit
Austin Abrams Reportedly Follows In The Footsteps Of His The Walking Dead Co-Star
Fans were disappointed when Steven Yeun announced his exit from the role of Sentry in Thunderbolts. Following Yeun’s exit, Marvel began their search for a replacement. Insider Daniel Richtman previously reported that Marvel was considering Yeun’s The Walking Dead co-star, Austin Abrams, as a potential candidate for the role. The scooper page, @rDCUleaks, also corroborated this information.
In collaboration with @rDCUleaks
I can report Austin Abrams (Euphoria) has the current offer for Sentry in Thunderbolts pic.twitter.com/batuPUaLG3
— Daniel Richtman (@DanielRPK) January 13, 2024
Many fans felt Abrams, at 27, might be too young to portray the mature role of Sentry in the film. However, Richtman later provided an update on his report, indicating that Abrams has chosen to follow in Yeun’s footsteps and reject the role. While the reason for his rejection remains unknown, fans are not as disappointed as losing the Beef actor for the role.
He passed 😭 https://t.co/xXhF28vz53
— Daniel Richtman (@DanielRPK) January 16, 2024
Austin Abrams portrayed the recurring character Ron Anderson in TWD during the show’s fifth and sixth seasons. He also collaborated with Thunderbolts director, Jake Schreier, in the 2015 rom-com drama, Paper Towns. Abrams achieved breakthrough success as Ethan Daley in the HBO series, Euphoria. He started as a recurring character before becoming part of the main cast in the show’s second season.
Abrams and Yeun are not the only stars to turn down the Sentry role. According to Marvel scooper @CanWeGetToast, Slumdog Millionaire actor Dev Patel also said no to the role.
Too bad Dev Patel didn't accept the offer for Sentry. https://t.co/THNqzn4knW pic.twitter.com/uD4qShlWMK
— CanWeGetSomeToast (@CanWeGetToast) January 13, 2024
Marvel finds itself in a tough spot, as the delay in casting may result in a production setback. Thunderbolts was initially scheduled for release on December 20, 2024. However, the recent 2023 strikes pushed the film’s release to July 25, 2025. Further delays could potentially jeopardize the current Marvel slate.
Another The Walking Dead Star Expressed Interest In Sentry
Before Steven Yeun or Austin Abrams were considered for the role, another The Walking Dead actor badly wanted to play the Sentry role in the MCU. Ryan Hurst, who played Beta starting from the ninth season of the series, shared numerous pieces of Sentry fan art on his Instagram page. He shared these images in 2021 before Sentry was confirmed as a villain in Thunderbolts. With both his TWD co-stars turning down the role, it remains a possibility for Hurst to take on the character.
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Besides Hurst, actors like Alexander Skarsgård, Andrew Koji, Boyd Holbrook, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau are popular fan choices for the role. Earlier, Yeun expressed his sincere apology to Marvel for withdrawing from the role. In his statement to Variety, he revealed that “it took a lot of drafts on email to make sure that I conveyed sincerity of how sorry I was to have to back out.”
Interestingly, fans also expressed their desire for Henry Cavill or Ryan Gosling to take on the role of Sentry.
