Steven Yeun exits Marvel's 'Thunderbolts' due to scheduling issues
Steven Yeun has exited Marvel Studios's forthcoming film Thunderbolts. According to a Deadline report, he's no longer a part due to scheduling conflicts arising from production delays caused by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strikes. Although Marvel never officially announced Yeun's participation, Deadline reported his casting last year. The movie, centered around a team of villains on government-sanctioned missions, is now slated for a July 2025 release.
Why does this story matter?
The report stating Yeun was cast by Marvel for Thunderbolts was published by Deadline in February 2023. The SAG-AFTRA strike went on till November and was called off after the guild and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) reached a tentative deal. The historic 118-day strike brought Hollywood to a standstill. Several films, including Thunderbolts and Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part Two, faced delays.
'Thunderbolts' main cast was announced in 2022
The WGA strike prompted Marvel to postpone Thunderbolts production initially by a month, and with the SAG-AFTRA strike lasting until November, filming was shifted to 2024, leading to Yeun's departure, reportedly. Directed by Jake Schreier and penned by Eric Pearson, the film boasts an ensemble cast featuring Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, and Wyatt Russell, who were revealed at the 2022 D23 presentation.
Meet the team of Marvel's 'Thunderbolts'
Thunderbolts will unite characters from Ant-Man and the Wasp, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Black Widow, and the upcoming Captain America: Brave New World. Actor Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine has been cast alongside Pugh as Yelena Belova, Harbour as Red Guardian, Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster, Stan as Bucky Barnes, and Russell as John Walker. Ayo Edebiri will also be seen; details of her character aren't out yet. Thunderbolts is produced by Marvel Studios's Kevin Feige.
More on Yeun's professional front
The actor gained popularity after he was cast as one of the leading stars in The Walking Dead. His most recent work is Netflix's limited series Beef, for which he has also bagged a Golden Globe Awards nomination under the Best Male Actor in a Limited Series category. He's in the race at the Emmy Awards under two categories - Best Actor in a Limited Series, and as Beef's executive producer, he's in contention in the Outstanding Limited Series.
