Actor Lewis Pullman, who played the villain Sentry in Thunderbolts*, dodged a fighter jet-sized bullet as he came close to a role in a disastrous Spider-Man spin-off movie. Sony was building a universe of Spider-Man villain spin-off movies released in parallel to the MCU for years. But while Marvel Studios is back this year with the likes of Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four, Sony stepped away, seemingly ending its Spider-Man-adjacent universe in 2024 with the financial and critical flop of Kraven the Hunter.
During a recent interview with Kristian Harloff, Thunderbolts*' Sentry actor Lewis Pullman confirmed he auditioned for "something in [Kraven the Hunter]." Had the MCU villain actor landed this Spider-Man villain role, one can only imagine it would have cost him the role of Sentry and the bright future that comes with it.
Pullman never confirmed what role he was eyeing in Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSMU), but many theorized he was going for Chameleon. The actor who landed that role, Fred Hechinger, has a similar vibe and aesthetic to Pullman, only coming in a little younger at 25 versus 32 years old.
People often say, "Everything happens for a reason," and that couldn't be truer for Pullman, who may have hit the jackpot by losing out on Kraven the Hunter. After all, that film seemingly marked the end of the SSMU, while Sentry is gearing up for a bright MCU future after Thunderbolts* with his return confirmed for Avengers 5.
Despite its movies being panned across the board, the SSMU managed to attract major talents from Venom to Kraven the Hunter. The franchise brought top-tier stars such as Tom Hardy, Woody Harrelson, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Russell Crowe, Jared Leto, and Sydney Sweeney to bring its mediocre scripts to life.
Kraven the Hunter received a 15% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and a "C" CinemaScore from audiences, making it one of the lowest-rated superhero movies in history. Its financial performance wasn't better, as it grossed just $62 million worldwide on a $110 million budget, prompting significant losses for Sony Pictures.
The cast of Kraven the Hunter, which hit theaters in December 2024 as a box office flop, went on to include Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Fred Hechinger, Russell Crowe, Ariana DeBose, Alessandro Nivola, Christopher Abbott, and more.
More recently, Lewis Pullman joined the Thunderbolts* (aka The New Avengers) cast as Sentry, now playing in theaters. The Top Gun: Maverick alum plays alongside Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, Wyatt Russell (read about his character's mistake with an iconic Marvel shield), and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
Lewis Pullman's Big MCU Future as Sentry Explained
As Thunderbolts* arrives to thunderous applause, Sentry has become an instant fan-favorite for his powers and strong performance from Lewis Pullman. Luckily, fans won't be waiting long to see Bob Reynolds back on screens, as Sentry has been confirmed to return next year in Avengers: Doomsday.
Going into Avengers 5, Bob officially joined the New Avengers and has, for now, got The Void under control. That said, the post-credits scene confirms he is avoiding his powers as using them risks bringing out The Void, but there's no doubt he will be going all-out Sentry at some point in Doomsday.
Perhaps as that happens, he will inadvertently bring his darker side back to the forefront, pitting him against his fellow heroes again. This could allow the MCU to prove the power of Sentry further as he faces off with MCU powerhouses such as Thor, Captain Marvel, and Doctor Strange.
Sentry creator Paul Jenkins confirmed ahead of Thunderbolts* to the Superheroes of Arabia podcast that he has a contract with Marvel, saying that if the character gets a solo movie, he will write the script. The MCU's next saga may find room for up-and-comer Sentry to get a solo outing.
