Highlights
- Despite ongoing legal battles and allegations of abuse against Jonathan Majors, Marvel Studios is still committed to having Kang the Conqueror as the main villain in the Multiverse Saga.
- Fan speculation of Kang being replaced by Doctor Doom or Galactus has allegedly been shot down, as Marvel reportedly remains steadfast in their plans for Kang's role.
- Still, Majors' future in the role of Kang is uncertain, Marvel may potentially recast the character before his next appearance in the MCU. The studio is aware of the importance of clearing Majors' name in the court of public opinion.
While Avengers: Secret Wars is still far from its theatrical release, the uncertainty concerning Jonathan Majors' Kang role might have finally been settled despite the ongoing legal battle surrounding the star.
Avengers: Secret Wars is set to be the final installment of the MCU's phase six and the cumulation of the entire Multiverse Saga. While Avengers: Secret Wars' two potential leads were revealed by a recent rumor, the issue of the film’s antagonist, Kang the Conqueror, has been a source of speculation thanks to the trouble surrounding Kang actor Majors.
The going theory was that Marvel Studios was looking for ways to replace Majors' villain Kang as the franchise’s big bad after allegations of abuse surfaced against him, leading to an ongoing legal battle and near-universal distancing from the actor. However, a new report from trusted correspondent Daniel Richtman posits that fans and speculators might have been too quick to write off the plans laid out by the studio. According to Richtman, Marvel Studios is still committed to Kang being the main villain of the Multiverse Saga, with any other potential antagonists playing a smaller role if included in the narrative leading up to and being involved in Avengers: Secret Wars.
This shoots down recent fan speculation that saw Kang potentially replaced by Doctor Doom, the actual villain of the more recent Secret Wars comic story, or fellow Fantastic Four adversary Galactus, rumored to debut in the MCU alongside Marvel’s First Family in 2025. Despite Marvel Studios reportedly not discussing dropping Majors when other companies did after the initial accusations, Ritchman says the commitment to Kang is not a commitment to Majors. The role could potentially be recast before the character is set to appear again in the MCU after the recent wrap of the second season of Loki on Disney Plus.
This news undercuts much of the speculation surrounding the studio's next action, a far-reaching discourse that saw Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige address rumors of potential resurrections for another Avengers film. While Majors hasn’t been proven to have carried out the abuse alleged, there’s far too much at stake for the company to sit on its hands while his name is potentially cleared. Additionally, proven innocent in court does little to affect the arguably more important (from the studio’s perspective) court of public opinion, making Majors an unlikely choice for the overarching villain of the Multiverse Saga despite already being in the role. It's clear now that there’s much reshuffling around the MCU to make the phase work out well.
With Avengers: Secret Wars reportedly Feige's MCU reset button, the film has greater significance. How well this all works out for Marvel Studios remains to be seen.
Avengers: Secret Wars is currently set for a theatrical release on May 7, 2027.
The Avengers
The Avengers is a group of comic book characters that consists of some of the world's most iconic superheroes, such as The Hulk, Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor.
The Avengers have been a powerful force in Hollywood for over a decade now, both as a collective and individually. The group has also starred in video games, such as LEGO Marvel’s Avengers and Marvel's Avengers by Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix.
Source: Daniel Richtman
