The biggest franchise in the world currently has multiple reasons to have the most expensive headache. Marvel is reportedly strategizing how it can navigate the arrest of Jonathan Majors, which could result in a pivot to a new villain for the MCU or a recasting of the actor. After starring as Kang and some variants in both seasons of Loki and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, it will be a difficult choice no matter what to make it work within the universe that the studio holds to be so important.
Behind Marvel’s Biggest Headache – Jonathan Majors leading as the MCU Villain, Kang and His Variants
Every year, Marvel executives like Kevin Feige meet up for a retreat filled with confidence and planning for the future. According to Variety, things were looking bleak and riddled with anxiety for the most confident studio in Hollywood. Much of that was how it can navigate the situation with its Big Bad, which can be everything from recasting to pivoting to a new villain.
Earlier this year, the Creed 3 star was arrested on domestic violence charges. Since then, he has been dropped by his publicist and agency (which was then picked up by WME after CAA dropped him), multiple other accusations of violence have come forward, and things are not looking good for his New York-based trial.
Marvel might be feeling the need to move away from Jonathan Majors in some capacity. Whether he is innocent or not, his tarnished reputation is enough for the studio that has always kept a clean public image. It is why the studio is open to any solution, like branding a new villain for the Multiverse Saga, like Doctor Doom or another popular enemy of the Avengers. The only problem is that they already set Kang up in two seasons of a TV show and the first film of phase 5, Quantumania.
Having an interconnected universe was the studio’s strongest asset during the Infinity Saga. Now, with less connection that has frustrated fans and a star in hot water, building up to its epic conclusion of two Avengers movies will be more difficult to reach.
Recasting Jonathan Majors would be difficult for Marvel, but not impossible. Beyond having a big showcase of him in projects and announcing him as the headliner for Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars, it would not be the first time. Like Tarence Howard’s role as Rhodey going to Don Cheadle, it could be a possibility. With the central idea of the Multiverse Saga being about people’s variants from other universes, there could be an in-universe solution.
With dates for the next Avengers movie pushed back to 2026, the studio has a good length of time to figure out how it should move forward.
