Click to Skip Ad
Closing in...

Jonathan Majors’ future as Kang seems unlikely, but Marvel is keeping quiet

Published Apr 20th, 2023 12:17PM EDT
Kang (Jonathan Majors) in Janet (Michelle Pfeiffer) in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania trailer 1.
Image: Marvel Studios

If you buy through a BGR link, we may earn an affiliate commission, helping support our expert product labs.

Jonathan Majors should be one of the main stars of The Kang Dynasty, the Avengers 5 movie that fans have been waiting for since Endgame. But then his March 25th arrest came on domestic abuse allegations. Marvel and Disney have yet to announce whether or not Majors has a future as Kang in the MCU, but his chances seem incredibly slim after the recent developments in his case.

A report this week said that Majors had lost several roles ahead of his May 8th court hearing. Then, another bombshell report indicated that more women came forward to report alleged abuse from the high-profile actor.

Jonathan Majors’ role as Kang is unchanged for now

Speculation mounted after Jonathan Majors’ arrest as to what Marvel would do. Some reports said the studio had met with the actor’s representatives, while more recent stories on the matter said Marvel had zero conversations about recasting Kang in the MCU. Contradicting claims said Marvel already has a replacement in mind for the Kang role.

While Marvel and Disney have remained silent, others have parted ways with Jonathan Majors ahead of the May 8th hearing.

The US Army decided not to go forward with an ad campaign featuring the actor. Then, a few days ago, two of the companies representing Jonathan Majors fired the actor. That’s Management 360 and the Lede Company. WMA continues to rep Majors.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Majors is still attached to play Kang in Avengers 5 and Avengers 6. Variety says the actor is in line for a $20 million payday for The Kang Dynasty alone. That is if Marvel doesn’t recast the actor.

A Deadline report on Tuesday said that various projects have now dropped Jonathan Majors.

The list includes The Man in My Basement, an ad campaign for the Texas Rangers MLB team, and an unannounced Otis Redding biopic.

Avengers: The Kang Dynasty is coming in MCU Phase 6.
Avengers: The Kang Dynasty is coming in MCU Phase 6. Image source: Marvel Studios

Jonathan Majors’ case is getting worse

The Variety report mentioning the actor’s potential payday for Avengers 5 isn’t about the exciting MCU movie. The payday is just a detail in a story that may hurt Jonathan Majors significantly ahead of his May 8th hearing.

According to the report, more women came forward to allege that the actor abused them:

Sources familiar with the matter tell Variety that multiple alleged abuse victims of Majors have come forward following his March arrest and are cooperating with the Manhattan district attorney’s office. The prospect of more women waiting in the wings would mark a dramatic turn in the case and comes on the heels of Majors’ publicists and management firm cutting ties with the embattled actor earlier this week.

The report also said that Jonathan Majors is stepping down from the board of the Gotham Film and Media Institute. He’s also said to be stopping his work with the Sidney Poitier Initiative.

Variety notes that Jonathan Majors should play Dennis Rodman in Lionsgate’s 48 Hours in Vegas. The studio hasn’t decided on whether to proceed with the actor, and it’s watching developments.

Similarly, Majors should star in Spike Lee’s Da Understudy for Amazon. A source told Variety that Majors is still attached to star and produce alongside Will Smith. But the project hasn’t moved forward since early March.

Marvel’s decision for Jonathan Majors’ future as Kang in Avengers 5 and other projects will likely influence others. “I think the truth is everyone is waiting to see what Marvel will do,” an industry insider told Variety. “It doesn’t mean everyone will do the same thing, but that’s what people are looking to.”

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.