by Mapping Marvel’s Future Beyond Jonathan Majors: Investigating Two Possible Paths
kang Jonathan Majors was recently found guilty of manslaughter and sexual assault against his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabari. On the same day, Marvel Studios announced they would no longer work with him.
Majors had already played multiple versions of Kang the Conqueror in Loki and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. His character was set to play a major role in Avengers 5 (originally titled Avengers: The Kang Dynasty). However, with his removal, Marvel now faces a tough decision.
The studio has remained silent about its future plans. But the impact of Majors’ departure is undeniable. At this point, Marvel has two clear options:
- Recast Kang with a new actor
- Replace Kang with a different villain
Option 1: Recast Kang with a Different Actor
Marvel’s multiverse storyline allows for alternate versions of characters. This makes recasting easier.
We’ve already seen multiple Spider-Men in No Way Home and different Lokis in Loki. Even Quantumania showed a post-credits scene with countless Kangs.
Marvel could simply introduce a new actor as Kang without explaining the change. They could even introduce a main version of Kang who eliminates all others, proving his dominance.
Recasting wouldn’t be unprecedented. Marvel has done it before:
- Don Cheadle replaced Terrence Howard as Rhodey after Iron Man 1.
- Mark Ruffalo took over as Bruce Banner from Edward Norton.
- Harrison Ford will replace the late William Hurt as General Thunderbolt Ross.
None of these movies had to explain the change directly. The audience simply accepted it. Recasting Kang would be just as straightforward.
Option 2: Replace Kang with a new villain
Another option is to remove Kang entirely and introduce a new villain.
With Fantastic Four on the horizon, Marvel has an opportunity to bring in other major threats. Doctor Doom is the most obvious choice. He’s one of Marvel’s greatest villains and could easily become the MCU’s next big bad.
Other potential replacements include:
- Galactus – The world-eating cosmic force would bring massive stakes.
- Annihilus – The ruler of the Negative Zone could be a terrifying new foe.
Introducing a new villain could be as simple as Doctor Strange or another hero saying, “We messed with the multiverse, and now this new enemy has emerged.”
How Loki's Storyline Could Justify the Change
Marvel could also use Loki Season 2’s ending to explain Kang’s disappearance.
Tom Hiddleston’s Loki now holds the multiverse together. His actions could have erased Kang’s variants or prevented them from causing further chaos.
This comic-book-style explanation would allow Marvel to move forward without Kang. It also leaves room for new threats to emerge.
The Future of Marvel’s Villain Plans
Marvel faces a major decision. Do they recast Kang or introduce a new villain? Both options have their advantages.
Recasting keeps their current storyline intact. Replacing Kang allows for fresh storytelling with characters like Doctor Doom or Galactus.
Whichever path they choose, Marvel’s next move will shape the future of the MCU.
