If you’re asking, “Who is Bob Marvel Thunderbolts?” you’re not alone. Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts* (now in theaters) introduces a mysterious new hero, Robert Reynolds—better known as Bob—played by Lewis Pullman. But there’s more to Bob than meets the eye. Spoiler Alert!
In Thunderbolts**, Bob starts as a down-on-his-luck man who volunteers for a secret Super-Soldier experiment run by CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). The experiment gives him godlike powers, which Valentina describes as “stronger than all of the Avengers combined.” She transforms Bob into Sentry, complete with a superhero suit and blond hair.
But Bob’s powers come with a dark side: an alter ego known as the Void. This dangerous force threatens the Thunderbolts—Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), John Walker (Wyatt Russell), Red Guardian (David Harbour), and Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen)—and the entire world.
Playing Bob Marvel Thunderbolts: A Deep Dive into His Character
Actor Lewis Pullman spoke about what drew him to the role of Bob Marvel Thunderbolts. “The idea of living inside a character over many years really intrigued me,” Pullman said. He praised the film’s balance of action and emotional depth, explaining, “It has all the momentum of a Marvel movie, but it also slows down when it matters.”
When asked how he balanced Bob’s gentle side and his dark alter ego, Pullman said he worked closely with director Jake Schreier. “We couldn’t make them so separate that people only root for one side,” Pullman explained. “We had to show they’re both parts of the same person.”
Bob Marvel Thunderbolts: Wearing the Sentry Suit
Pullman described his first time seeing himself in the Sentry suit as unsettling. “It felt like I was wearing someone else’s clothes,” he admitted. “That’s exactly how it should feel for Bob Marvel Thunderbolts, because Valentina forced him into this image.”
It wasn’t until the film’s big fight scenes that Pullman felt he fully inhabited the character. “That’s when I owned the suit, instead of it owning me,” he said.
Thunderbolts Twist: What’s Next for Bob Marvel Thunderbolts?
Following its release, Thunderbolts** surprised fans by teasing a new title: The New Avengers. Pullman called the reveal “an easy secret to keep” because it had never been done before. “Do I say I played Sentry in Thunderbolts* or The New Avengers?” he joked. “I guess we’ll find out!”
As for what’s next, Bob Marvel Thunderbolts is expected to return in Avengers: Doomsday. His struggle between Sentry and the Void hints at an even bigger role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Content in part based on this Walt Disney Company post.
