The Walt Disney Company has resolved its recent issue involving actor Jonathan Majors.
In April 2023, after debuting as Kang the Conqueror in “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” Majors was arrested in New York City on domestic assault charges. By December, Majors was found guilty, leading Marvel Studios to terminate his role in the franchise.
Majors initially appeared as He Who Remains, a variant of Kang the Conqueror, in the “Loki” series, directed by Kate Herron. Alongside Tom Hiddleston, Sophia Di Martino, and Owen Wilson—who played Loki, Sylvie, and Mobius M.
Mobius, respectively—Majors’ character issued a significant warning before being killed by Sylvie.
He reprised his role as Kang in “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” (2023), which received negative reviews from critics and audiences. However, Majors’ performance as Kang was praised.
Majors’ latest and seemingly final appearance as Kang, albeit as the variant Victor Timely, occurred in “Loki” Season 2. This was controversial since Majors was still awaiting trial for domestic assault allegations made by his former partner, Grace Jabbari.
Kang was intended to be the next major villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with the upcoming “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty” (2026). However, with Majors’ arrest and guilty verdict, it appears Kang’s role in the MCU will be minimized.
The situation mirrors Johnny Depp’s removal from the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise following his 2020 guilty verdict. Depp lost his libel case against The Sun and News Group Newspapers Ltd. and was subsequently asked to resign from his role as Gellert Grindelwald in Warner Bros.’ “Fantastic Beasts” franchise, as well as from his iconic role of Captain Jack Sparrow.
In 2022, Depp faced his ex-wife Amber Heard in court over her Washington Post opinion essay. When asked if he would return to Disney for $300 million, Depp replied, “No.”
Jonathan Majors’ case bears similarities to Depp’s, though Majors lacks the public support Depp enjoys as he continues his career post-trial.
Recently, it was announced that Ralph Ineson will portray Galactus in Matt Shakman’s upcoming MCU film, “The Fantastic Four” (2025). Julia Garner will play the female Silver Surfer, Shalla-Bal, with Paul Walter Hauser and John Malkovich in undisclosed roles.
Interestingly, Ineson sued Disney last December following an on-set accident while working on Lucasfilm’s “Willow” series, alleging permanent damage after dislocating his shoulder.
Galactus is a significant villain in Marvel Comics. While it’s not confirmed that Galactus will be the main antagonist the new Avengers team will face, it strongly suggests he is replacing Kang.
With Majors removed, the upcoming “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty” has been renamed “Avengers 5” and will precede “Avengers: Secret Wars,” slated for release in 2027.
