Steven Yeun has been making quite the name for himself, with an Oscar-nominated role in Minari, and a notable part in Jordan Peele’s Nope. Now, it seems as though Marvel Studios has added the rising star to its upcoming Thunderbolts film. As with most Marvel casting news, the role Yeun will play is being kept under wraps, but that won’t stop us from examining which character Steven Yeun is playing in the MCU.
Yeun’s role in Thunderbolts was originally reported by Deadline, who claims that it’s significant to the film but could also have a role to play in future MCU films. Given the current state of the Multiverse Saga, that doesn’t do much to narrow down the possibilities, but we can look at some previous rumors from reliable sources, as well as our own knowledge of future films in the MCU, and start piecing together Yeun’s character.
Sentry
It’s been rumored for some time that Sentry, aka Robert Reynolds, is coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a big way. Some insiders even claim Marvel has plans for a Disney Plus special presentation that would showcase Sentry’s origin story. In the MCU, this would be altered so that Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) creates Sentry while trying to make another super soldier for her Thunderbolts team.
As comic fans already know, Sentry has an evil alter ego of sorts, known as The Void. There have been whispers of Sentry being the main antagonist of the Thunderbolts movie, with The Void taking over and attacking the rest of the team. In the comics he’s said to be as powerful as one million exploding suns, and was integral in helping to stop the Hulk during World War Hulk.
With She-Hulk: Attorney at Law setting the stage for Skaar’s introduction, Captain America: New World Order already confirmed to feature the return of The Leader (Tim Blake Nelson), Thunderbolt Ross (Harrison Ford), and an expected appearance from Red Hulk, all signs point to a World War Hulk project in the future of the MCU. The Avengers could certainly use someone with the power level of Sentry if World War Hulk does happen in the MCU.
However, if Yeun plays Sentry, this is also a big change for the character. While most of the ethnicity changes Marvel Studios has done in the MCU haven’t had a big impact on the characters (if any at all), one of Sentry’s trademark features is his long blonde hair. It’s not necessarily out of the question for Steven Yeun to have long blonde hair, but it may look odd and will likely be changed.
Hyperion
When it comes to the Thunderbolts movie, while Sentry has been mentioned numerous times by online scoopers, Hyperion has similar qualities to Sentry. Both characters have powers similar to Superman, which has led to numerous comparisons between the two. So while Sentry is the most likely candidate for Yeun to play, Hyperion is also an option.
There have been some unconfirmed reports that Hyperion and the whole Squadron Supreme would be making their way into the MCU. Many thought this would happen during Loki season two, but there’s been no concrete confirmation of that either way. The Squadron Supreme generally hails from Earth-1121 in the comics, and has had ties to Kang the Conqueror. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Hyperion and the Squadron Supreme show up during the multiversal shenanigans of Loki season two.
If Hyperion does appear in the second season of Loki, it’s unlikely Yeun is playing the character. Loki season two wrapped filming months ago, but Yeun’s casting has just now been revealed. Hiding his casting for a long period of time is a difficult task in these days of constant internet leaks.
Amadeus Cho
One character who has long been rumored to be coming to the MCU is Amadeus Cho. This is a South Korean-American character (the same as Yeun) who has deep connections to the Hulk, incursions, Hercules, and more. He would fit in well with the current state of the MCU, and was a big part of the World War Hulk comic run. At one point he becomes a Hulk himself, which would fall right in line with the events of She-Hulk, and the direction the MCU seems to be heading in with Captain America: New World Order.
If the events of She-Hulk eventually lead into Thunderbolts, it would be easy to see Amadeus Cho being contaminated by Jennifer Walter’s blood, turning him into a Hulk. That isn’t exactly what happens in the comics, but it would allow for similar results while fitting in well with the current story arc of the MCU.
Mr. Negative
Some time ago there were rumors that Yeun had been cast as Mr. Negative for Spider-Man 4. To be clear, these rumors didn’t originate from a reliable source, but they were still picked up by a number of outlets. Sony and Marvel have been tight-lipped about the next Spider-Man film, but most assume it will release sometime in 2025. It seems unlikely Yeun is playing Mr. Negative, but we’ll still examine this possibility.
Mr. Negative is a Spider-Man villain of Chinese origins. It’s unlikely Marvel would change him from Chinese to South Korean, but not entirely out of the question. However, Mr. Negative doesn’t have a lot of dealings outside of Spider-Man, so how would he fit into Thunderbolts?
In the comics, he’s had run-ins with The Hood and White Dragon. The Hood is confirmed to appear in the upcoming Ironheart series, with White Dragon heavily rumored to appear in the Daredevil: Born Again series. With both of these characters presumably coming into the MCU before Thunderbolts, they could show up in that film as well, bringing with them ties to Mr. Negative. That could then connect to Spider-Man 4 and future Marvel films. Once again, Mr. Negative is unlikely for Yeun, but we wanted to at least mention it since there was a previous rumor connecting him to that role.
So who do you think Steven Yeun is playing in Thunderbolts? Let us know your thoughts in the comments, or on Twitter @ThatHashTagShow.
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