The 'Walking Dead' actor had to rewrite his email several times before sending it out to announce he wouldn't be able to star in the upcoming Marvel superhero movie.
- Jan 5, 2024
AceShowbiz - Steven Yeun apologizes for dropping out of "Thunderbolts". The 40-year-old actor's involvement in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film had surfaced early last year, and while his casting was never officially confirmed by Marvel, he had to pull out this week due to scheduling issues.
Redrafting an email several times, the star wanted to ensure he could "convey the sincerity" of how sorry he was to depart the motion picture. "I think for me, time passing and things shifting kind of pulled me out of it. It took a lot of drafts on email to make sure that I conveyed the sincerity of how sorry I was to have to back out. I wanna do a Marvel movie," he told Variety.
When asked what Marvel film he would love to land a role in, he said, "I think it's too early to say that. I probably [annoyed] too many people leaving, so I'm just gonna say, 'Thank you for having me.' I have some ideas. But I heard if you put it out there, you'll never get it, so I'll keep it close to my chest."
Yeun has tipped director Jake Schreier to do an "incredible job" on "Thunderbolts". He said, "But Jake [Schreier], I know, is going to do an incredible job."
"Thunderbolts" had been set to begin filming last summer but was pushed back to this year due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. It is thought the filming delay played a big part in Yeun's departure from the project.
"The Walking Dead" star previously explained that joining the MCU wasn't on his "bucket list," and the big appeal of the project was the opportunity to work with filmmaker Schreier again after their collaboration on the TV series "Beef".
Yeun previously told Empire magazine, "I don't know if it was explicitly on my bucket list. It was more the story, getting to work with Jake Schreier again, who directed 'Beef', and what his intentions were."
The star had been due to feature in the blockbuster alongside Florence Pugh, David Harbour, and Sebastian Stan.
