Steven Yeun opts out of leading role in Marvel's Thunderbolts

Steven Yeun has opted out of joining the cast for Thunderbolts, Marvel Studios' upcoming antihero-focused project, as per The Hollywood Reporter. While news of Yeun's potential involvement surfaced in February, Marvel never officially confirmed the casting. Five months prior, at a D23 presentation, the studio unveiled a lineup that included Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, and Wyatt Russell as part of the cast for the film.

Production Setbacks

Similar to numerous major productions, Thunderbolts faced disruption last year due to simultaneous strikes by writers and actors, causing scheduling chaos in Hollywood. Originally set for a July 2024 release, the film was delayed by a year to July 2025 and is still awaiting the commencement of filming.

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Under the direction of Jake Schreier, Thunderbolts is said to bring together a squad of Marvel's antiheroes and villains. Positioned as a sequel to Ant-Man and the Wasp, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Black Widow, and Captain America: Brave New World, the film holds the distinction of being the thirty-seventh installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the fifteenth part of Phase Five. Fans can anticipate its release on July 25, 2025.

From Invincible to Awards Season

Yeun currently takes the helm of a prominent comic book adaptation, lending his voice to the titular character in Invincible, Amazon's take on Robert Kirkman's comic. Rising to fame as a key figure in The Walking Dead, he is currently making waves in the awards season with his Netflix limited series, Beef. 

Yeun is vying for the Golden Globe in the category of Best Male Actor in a Limited Series on Sunday, and later this month, he will be in the running for the Emmy Awards in the Actor in a Limited Series category. Serving as an executive producer on Beef, Yeun secures an Emmy nomination in the Outstanding Limited Series category. Looking ahead, he is set to feature in Bong Joon Ho's Mickey 17 and the Sundance film Love Me, where he stars alongside Kristen Stewart.

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