Thunderbolts* Had Wyatt Russell as the Original Villain!

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During its premiere, [the film] has unveiled numerous aspects of its plot, yet there are still some intricacies about the development of the final narrative that remain undisclosed. In a recent conversation with ScreenRant, screenwriter Eric Pearson disclosed that the movie’s concluding scenes initially featured a distinct character as the antagonist.

In an unexpected turn, Lewis Pullman’s character Sentry and The Void were unveiled as the main antagonist in the film. Instead of a grand finale filled with CGI-heavy explosions, magic, and widespread destruction, the climactic fight between the characters took an emotional turn. This decision influenced Pearson when choosing the final villain for the movie, a role initially offered to Wyatt Russell’s John Walker, also known as U.S. Agent. Regarding whether the film’s ending was intentionally meant to portray depression or a broader internal struggle, Pearson explained:

The question is challenging to respond to since I hadn’t consciously considered the theme during the creation process. Initially, John Walker was envisioned as the antagonist in the final confrontation. The plan was that part of Val’s deception involved telling him his serum was diminishing, and she was administering those medications to keep him functional. In truth, he was a ticking time bomb, similar to the Hulk. There was an intention to include a “Sun’s getting real low” scene because from the outset, it was intended that our third act fight would conclude with a hug.

That particular version held some fun elements, yet it fell short and didn’t seem quite fitting tonally. Since I had already incorporated the Breakfast Club theme, I found myself thinking, ‘I need a character who can outmatch them physically but also touch their emotions.’

Why Sentry Was the Perfect ‘Thunderbolts*’ Villain

Eventually, it was revealed that the initially heroic character transformed into the antagonist in the series ‘Thunderbolts‘, but since he was set to reappear in the upcoming movie ‘Avengers: Doomsday‘, a conclusion was required that enabled one of the strongest Marvel Cinematic Universe characters to live through the events depicted in the film.

As a fan, I’ve always pondered about how Sentry would fit into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it was Pearson who had the incredible task of making that vision a reality – a thought that had been swirling in my mind for quite some time. In my own words, I might express it as:

“For a long while now, the idea of introducing Sentry into the MCU has been intriguing me. It was Pearson who took on the challenge and brought this concept to life.

In a Marvel writing program I attended around 2010 or 2011, I encountered Sentry comics. These stories depicted an epic battle between the Divinity of Good and Absolute Evil. However, I wondered, “What if it was about heroic ambition and self-worth clashing with self-hatred, despair, and solitude?” Essentially, he embodied the entire hero’s journey in one character. Thus, I incorporated him into my work, and he fit seamlessly. The narrative then focused on discovering and shaping the Void space and related concepts.

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sentry’s narrative might differ somewhat from his comics, yet various aspects of his tale were skillfully blended to create a character that feels authentic and fitting for this cinematic universe.

The Sentry character, like Zemo, has an interesting backstory from the comics. He is incredibly powerful and significant, dating back to the Golden Age. However, his story involves him becoming a threat, so he wiped out his own memory from everyone’s mind. This concept is captivating in comic books but might not work well in this movie adaptation. Still, we want to incorporate as many elements from the comics as possible.

We carefully considered his memory loss, complex personality, and status as a failed experiment when crafting the character for the movie. We aimed to stay true to the comics while making it fit seamlessly into our film universe. I take great pride in this process because it’s challenging to strike the right balance and avoid forced elements.

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2025-05-05 17:32