Florence Pugh’s Thunderbolts has had a bit of a bumpy ride on the way to production. The new Marvel film has been faced with scheduling conflicts, and the SAG-AFTRA strikes in 2023 further delayed the film. When Steven Yeun stepped down from the role of Sentry, it caused a bit of a headache for the studio.
Sentry is one of the most powerful characters about to be introduced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In the absence of Yeun, fan theories abound about which actor might be the most suitable to don the mantle. Now, new fan art with a star from the Fast and Furious franchise might have stirred the speculation pot once again.
Who is this actor, and what makes him the perfect choice for Sentry?
Sentry is a beloved character, and the hype around him only grew when Marvel announced the Thunderbolts. With Florence Pugh set to reprise her role as Yelena Belova, the film has been in the pipeline as early as 2019. However, it got an official announcement at the San Diego Comic-Con in 2022.
Steven Yeun was attached to the project from the beginning. However, the strikes threw his schedule for a loop, and he decided to drop the role. It caused a stir at the time, and fans came up with possible replacements for Yeun.
Henry Cavill and Ryan Gosling were leading the fan casting choices on social media. One fan, whose username was Samuel_Cheve, however, came up with an incredible fanart of the character, imagining Alan Ritchson in the role of Sentry.
Alan Ritchson as Sentry
Fan art ©️Samuel_Cheve pic.twitter.com/NHSO3wuBYG
— Alan Ritchson Updates (@alanritchsonhq) January 7, 2024
The artist’s rendition of the character is truly spectacular. It captures the strength of Sentry, as well as Ritchson’s aura.
Alan Ritchson is not new to the world of caped crusaders. In fact, he made his debut on the CW show Smallville, revolving around the life of Superman. Ritchson played the iconic DC hero Aquaman, also known as Arthur Curry. He was a guest star on the show, but he managed to leave quite an impression.
Marvel had to recast more than just one role for the film
Yeun’s withdrawal from the project surprised many. He had even had his costume fitted to bring the character to life. However, he was not the only actor that the studio had to replace.
Earlier this year, Deadline reported that Ayo Edebiri had also pulled out of the film due to scheduling conflicts. Geraldine Viswanathan had replaced Edebiri, while Lewis Pullman from Top Gun: Maverick would play Sentry.
Thunderbolts will see some of Marvel’s most beloved characters return to the big screen. Pugh will return as Belova, as will Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes/the Winter Soldier. David Harbour will also return as Red Guardian, Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, and Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster.
Marvel has yet to give a clue about the plot of the film. Regardless, the anticipation surrounding it is still high. Thunderbolts will hit theaters in July 2025.
