Highlights
- Jonathan Majors has been officially cut from the Marvel Cinematic Universe following his guilty verdict on assault and harassment charges.
- The future of Kang as the overarching villain in the MCU is now uncertain, with rumors of a complete rewrite of the storyline or recasting the role.
- It is important to believe victims when they come forward, and the decision to part ways with Majors shows support for Grace Jabbari and brings justice to her suffering.
The future of Jonathan Majors' multiversal Avengers villain Kang in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has finally been decided. This comes hot on the heels of the newly-decided verdict in the court case for harassment and assault against the actor.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (or MCU) has seen plenty of uncertainty over the past year after allegations came to light regarding Majors assaulting and otherwise terrorizing his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari. Following the actor's first appearance in Loki season 1, it seemed inevitable that his character, Kang, would be the overarching villain in the MCU for at least the next several years. All that changed when the allegations came out, with rumors floating around that Majors' future as Kang wouldn't last. Well, now an official decision has been made.
Marvel Studios has announced they've parted ways with Majors following the end of his trial. According to Variety, the trial ended on December 18th with a guilty verdict on two misdemeanor counts of assault and harassment. Not content to wait, Marvel Studios immediately cut ties with the actor the same day. Many likely assumed this parting of ways was coming, as there had been signs over the past many months that Marvel Studios was looking for new ways to go forward regarding the character of Kang. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty is now titled Avengers 5.
People began speculating how Majors could be replaced as Kang immediately after the allegations came out in March. Much like how the Johnny Depp legal case painted Amber Heard in the public eye, Majors' legal team and his supporters attacked Jabbari's credibility and claims, attempting to obscure evidence that supported her side. But the trial revealed some frankly brutal details that left most facts unambiguous. In this case, however, it seemed the public was already largely on Jabbari's side even before the verdict.
This seemingly throws a wrench in the short-term future of the MCU. Even the recent 2nd season of Loki heavily featured Majors' character (well, one of them, anyway), and that show came out after the actor was arrested. But again, things have been moving behind the scenes to find a suitable replacement, whether that means recasting the role or rewriting the entire overarching storyline for the next few years.
Whatever the case, Majors is officially out, meaning significant changes are coming in one way or another. Some have suggested that Loki's Sylvie may be the key to tempering Kang's changes, but that's just one of many theories. Either way, it's good that Jabbari has gotten some justice for her suffering. She may have had support from the people, but that is rarely the case in cases like this. It's always important to believe victims when they come forward because that's how other victims can feel safe enough to tell their truths.
Avengers 5 is in development at Marvel Studios.
The Avengers
The Avengers is a group of comic book characters consisting 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, collectively 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: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter
