Lewis Pullman makes his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Robert Reynolds, a character known in comics as the Sentry and his dark alter ego, the Void. Pullman portrays the complex figure in Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts*, released in theaters this week.
Reynolds, often called Bob, crosses paths with a team of antiheroes after a top-secret Super-Soldier experiment orchestrated by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine leaves him with immense power. This power manifests in dual forms: the benevolent Sentry and the destructive Void.
Pullman described taking on the character, who essentially embodies three distinct personalities, as an engaging task. He focused initially on the psychology but found physicality helped indicate which aspect of the character was present at a given moment.
The character has a history in Marvel Comics, first appearing as Robert Reynolds in SENTRY (2000) #1. Created by Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee, the comic storyline involves the character attempting to erase himself from the world's memory to thwart the Void.
In the film, the Void is shown manifesting through a shadow-like reality, trapping victims within dark memories. Pullman’s character struggles with mental health challenges, including a history of addiction and trauma, which appear exacerbated by the experiment.
Following the events of the film, Bob is left in an uncertain state, having overcome the immediate threat of the Void but with limited memory of the ordeal. A post-credits scene places him alongside the newly formed New Avengers team, where he remains unable to freely use his immense powers due to the risk of unleashing the Void again.
Pullman is set to return in Avengers: Doomsday, though details about his role remain under wraps. He described his character's current state as one of "idle hibernation," kept by the team possibly as a contingency. The character's ultimate role against figures like Doctor Doom or in larger events like Avengers: Secret Wars remains unknown.
Fellow cast members praised Pullman's portrayal and physical performance in the role. Florence Pugh noted his work on wire stunts to achieve graceful movement, while David Harbour commented on watching Pullman discover his character's immense power.
Pullman summarized the experience of playing the multi-faceted role.
“It was a lot of fun as an actor,” he said. “That’s as good as it gets.”
