Concept artist John Staub has offered a look at alternative designs for the Sentry (Lewis Pullman) and his darker half, the Void, from Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts*, showcasing some striking visuals that lean heavily into comic book accuracy. Shared via Instagram, the artwork reveals a version of the Void hovering menacingly before a colossal dark cloud, a direct nod to the character’s initial appearances in the original Sentry comic book miniseries. Other explorations included a stark black version of the Sentry’s traditional uniform, presenting a more corrupted hero aesthetic. Ultimately, the film opted for a portrayal where the Void is depicted as an entity of pure darkness, with Pullman’s face obscured by shadow, leaving only two glowing eyes. This choice underscored the Void’s nature as an erasure of Bob Reynolds’ very being rather than just an alternate costume.
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In Thunderbolts*, Robert “Bob” Reynolds fractured psyche is exacerbated by Project Sentry experiments, manifesting two immensely powerful personas: the heroic Sentry and the nihilistic Void. The Void serves as the movie’s primary antagonist, seeking to spread his despair through a dark dimension that forces individuals to relive their trauma. The plot hinges on the titular team, a group of reformed antagonists and anti-heroes, confronting this god-level threat. The narrative culminates with the Thunderbolts reaching out to Bob Reynolds, offering him support and human connection. This collective empathy allows Bob to gain a measure of control over the Void, causing the dark mist to dissipate. As a result, the choice to make the Void an all-consuming, featureless darkness powerfully visualized how Bob’s trauma threatened to erase his identity.
While the post-credits scene of Thunderbolts* shows Bob has been keeping the Void in check by never conjuring the powers of the Sentry, Pullman is part of the extensive cast confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday. That strongly suggests that audiences have not seen the last of Bob Reynolds and his troubled alter egos. Plot details of Avengers: Doomsday are being kept under wraps, but it’s likely the Sentry, and the Void, will return for Marvel Studios’s upcoming crossover movie.
Thunderbolts* Critical Acclaim And Box Office Hurdles
Thunderbolts* garnered significant praise, achieving an impressive 88% critic score and an even stronger 95% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the highest-rated MCU Phase 5 project on both metrics at the time of its release. This positive reception, however, did not fully translate into blockbuster box office numbers. The movie concluded its theatrical run with approximately $381 million globally against a reported production budget of $180 million. While not an outright flop, this figure falls short of the typical break-even point for a film of this scale (often estimated at 2.5 times the production budget, which would be around $450 million), especially when factoring in marketing and distribution costs.
However, the critical success of Thunderbolts*, particularly the praise for its mature themes, character development, and direction by Jake Schreier, has had positive repercussions beyond the box office numbers. Schreier’s adept handling of the complex ensemble and the film’s emotional depth has given him the director’s chair for Marvel Studios’ highly anticipated X-Men movie. This move mirrors Marvel’s strategy with the Russo brothers, who transitioned from the critically acclaimed Captain America: The Winter Soldier to masterminding the Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame saga. Entrusting Schreier with the introduction of mutants into the MCU, a cornerstone of Marvel’s future plans post-Avengers: Secret Wars, indicates the studio values proven directorial vision capable of delivering both quality storytelling and audience satisfaction, even if the box office returns for Thunderbolts* were not as robust as hoped.
What are your thoughts on these comic-accurate Sentry and Void designs? Do you think the final version in Thunderbolts* was more effective? Let us know in the comments!
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