Ayo Edebiri exits Marvel’s Thunderbolts with Geraldine Viswanathan stepping in to fill her role. According to Deadline, scheduling conflicts forced Edebiri to step down from her role in the upcoming project.
Initially revealed as part of the Thunderbolts cast early last year, Ayo Edebiri’s departure comes as a result of production delays caused by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes that occurred last summer. Despite her exit, Edebiri’s replacement, Geraldine Viswanathan, is poised to take on the challenge of an undisclosed role in what is described as the biggest project of her career thus far.
The Thunderbolts ensemble, unveiled during Disney’s D23 event last year, features Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Sebastian Stan as Winter Soldier, David Harbour as Red Guardian, Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, Wyatt Russell as US Agent, Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster, and now, Geraldine Viswanathan.
Marvel Studios has been tight-lipped about the plot of Thunderbolts but the film is expected to delve into the consequences of the actions of Valentina Allegra de Fontaine and her team of powerful vigilantes.
Director Jake Schreier is set to helm the Marvel tentpole, with Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige overseeing production. While specific plot details remain elusive, the comic source material centers around a group of villains undertaking government-assigned missions.
Thunderbolts is scheduled to hit theaters in July 2025.