Marvel’s “Thunderbolts” is coming further into focus.
Geraldine Viswanathan has joined the cast of the team-up film, replacing Ayo Edebiri in an undisclosed role after the Emmy-winning “The Bear” star dropped out of the project due to scheduling.
Viswanathan joins a massive ensemble cast of actors playing some of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s best known anti-heroes, including Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes (aka the Winter Soldier), Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, David Harbour as Red Guardian, Wyatt Russell as John Walker (aka U.S. Agent), Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr (aka Ghost), Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster and Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. Although specific plot details remain top secret, the movie will effectively serve as Marvel’s version of the DC’s anti-hero team the Suicide Squad, with the characters brought together to do the dirty jobs the Avengers can’t do.
Jake Schreier (“Paper Towns,” “Beef”) is directing from a script by Eric Pearson (“Black Widow”).
Since Viswanathan’s career launched in the 2018 teen-comedy “Blockers,” she’s appeared opposite Hugh Jackman and Allison Janney in 2019’s “Bad Education,” opposite Dacre Montgomery in the 2020 romcom “The Broken Hearts Gallery,” and opposite Zach Galifianakis, Elizabeth Banks and Sarah Snook in 2023’s “The Beanie Bubble.” She also starred in the TBS comedy anthology series “Miracle Workers” with Daniel Radcliffe, Steve Buscemi and Karan Soni.
Edebiri is the second star to depart “Thunderbolts” in recent months; Steven Yeun left in January, telling Variety that “time passing and things shifting kind of pulled me out of it.” Lewis Pullman (“Top Gun: Maverick”) stepped in to replace him in the role, which is also undisclosed.
Deadline first reported the news.