Marvel Studios Reportedly "Still Committed" To KANG Storyline, But Jonathan Majors May Be Replaced

Marvel Studios Reportedly "Still Committed" To KANG Storyline, But Jonathan Majors May Be Replaced

Despite recent rumors to the contrary, it seems Marvel Studios is still planning to forge ahead with its big Kang-focused arc, but the character might be recast...

By MarkCassidy - Nov 17, 2023 07:11 AM EST

Ever since Jonathan Majors was arrested for (allegedly) assaulting his girlfriend, rumors have done the rounds that Marvel Studios may be planning to pivot away from the Kang-focused saga that began in Loki and continued in Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania (before possibly concluding in Loki season 2?), and the recent news that director Destin Daniel Cretton had parted ways with Avengers: The Kang Dynasty added more fuel to the fire.

While Kevin Feige will likely make some changes, it sounds like the overarching story will still revolve around Kang the Conqueror.

According to insider Daniel Richtman, the studio is "still committed" to the Kang storyline, but there's a chance Majors may be recast. They will almost certainly wait for the outcome of his trial to make any kind of official announcement, but even if the actor is found innocent, it may be a case of "damage done."

During this week's episode of The Hot Mic podcast, Jeff Sneider said he believes Kang will ultimately be recast, and the decision may be out of Marvel's hands. Disney's Bob Iger has been keeping a very close eye on the situation, and may feel keeping Majors on after so much negative press would be too damaging to the Disney brand.

A lot of this seems like speculation, but we'd be very surprised if Kevin Feige hasn't at least started making tentative plans to take The Kang Dynasty - and the ongoing Phases 5 and 6 of the MCU - in another direction.

Plot details for the next Avengers movie are still under wraps, but we may have some ides of what to expect.

Though this is obviously subject to change (no more than ever), persistent rumors and several plot "leaks" have indicated that we will see heroes from every MCU franchise - as well as the 20th Century Fox X-Men and Fantastic Four movies - band together in an attempt to defeat Kang the Conqueror and his Variants.

Jeff Lovenes, who is now said to be "off" the project, previously name-dropped a couple of characters he was looking forward to writing.

“I can’t say specifically," he told Phase Zero earlier this year. "I think I’d get in trouble. I gotta get better at talking to the Internet. But just, characters that we like, I mean, I think we’re excited for the actors more than even the characters right now. Because, we have this really good crop of performers. We got Florence Pugh, and Jonathan Majors, and Letitia Wright. We’ve got such a deep bench of really good actors. Everyone’s gonna get their chance to shine. I can’t say who. I can’t say when they will shine. But I think we’ve got a deep bench, and it’s fun to finally put everybody into the game.”

Avengers: The Kang Dynasty is currently scheduled to arrive in theaters on May 1, 2026, with Avengers: Secret Wars to follow on May 7, 2027.

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Batmangina
Batmangina - 11/17/2023, 7:23 AM
Too bad they didn't do that for Black Panther.

A press release tribute with Michael B Jordan accepting the role to honor the legacy of Chadwick Boseman would have un[frick]ed half of the MCU.

Ryguy88
Ryguy88 - 11/17/2023, 7:28 AM
@Batmangina - losing the black Panther character after 1 movie was one of the major pillars that has collapsed
Batmangina
Batmangina - 11/17/2023, 7:34 AM
@Ryguy88 - 100% agree. They have nothing left. There is no Avengers franchise. This is all just the backwash leftovers that they are pot committed on to follow through.
philinterrupted
philinterrupted - 11/17/2023, 7:58 AM
@Batmangina - Skipping an Avengers movie for phase 4 was a dumb mistake.
Conquistador
Conquistador - 11/17/2023, 8:27 AM
@Batmangina - huh? But then It still wouldn't have been T'Challa, but Killmonger.

Eitherway Wakanda Forever was a better movie than it should have been given the circumstances. A recast maybe for the next one will be cool but i like the seed they planted with the son, who'll obviously take up the mantle.

As for recasting Majors, they should at least wait till the verdict is in. Innocent until proven guitly... what media and tabloids shy away from saying.
Conquistador
Conquistador - 11/17/2023, 8:29 AM
@Ryguy88 - He wasn't in just the 1 movie though but 4 appearances. The significance of the character to the link the black community had with the actor transcended the movie, so i understand the decision. It probably would have been better to cancel it and recast in a couple more years but having his son around who's also T'cHala is a cool loop for future.
kg8817
kg8817 - 11/17/2023, 8:33 AM
@Batmangina - They didn’t need to un[frick] the half of the MCU.

You know how everyone is saying the MCU is done and that they should’ve stopped after Endgame?

I’ll continue to scream this from the rooftops: it’s because THEY SHOULD HAVE STOPPED FOCUSING ON THE AVENGERS AS THE FOCALPOINT OF THE MCU.

Stop building the MCU around the Avengers. Come to the realization that for most people, “The Avengers” were Tony, Steve and the core 6.

The “Marvel Cinematic Universe” should be just that - not the Avenger universe.

So what do I mean?

You have the goddamn X-Men! Use them! Imagine if after Endgame they pivoted to focus on the X-Men as the focal point and not building up to the “Avengers” every goddamn movie.

You have the horror corner of the MCU that you touched on slightly with Werewolf by Night. USE IT!

Continuing to make the Avengers the focal point of the MCU is tanking the MCU when the Avengers don’t even exist in a current incarnation- and a new Avengers team won’t even resonate with audiences.
Fogs
Fogs - 11/17/2023, 8:57 AM
@kg8817 - You're right. It was ok to focus IW around Avengers cause that's what they had at the time.

But Secret Wars should be waaay bigger than the team. Shouldn't be an Avengers movie at all.
OmegaBlack13
OmegaBlack13 - 11/17/2023, 9:41 AM
@UniqNo - Yeah I agree the son will likely take the mantle through multiverse shenanigans. I’d be willing to accept them bringing in an adult variant of his for Avengers 4 or 5 if the performance was strong enough. But also at a certain point, if you’ve got a guy walking around in a Black Panther suit who everyone calls T’Challa you’ve kinda done the thing you tried to avoid.

I don’t think this situation is about innocent until proven guilty though. Even if he is proven innocent, it’s still bad press for the brand. I’m reminded of The Dark Knight when Lucius is talking to Lau “we can't afford to be seen to do business with whatever it is you're accused of being”
Conquistador
Conquistador - 11/17/2023, 9:48 AM
@OmegaBlack13 - I hear you, but their method of doing the thing 'they're trying to avoid' i feel if/when done it will be done in a way that pleases both camps. I could be wrong though, but either around secret war or after we'll probably have an adult T'Chala back whose father was a well known Black Panther. So there'll still be that spritual connection to pre Endgame and Boseman.

I understand it's a business at the end of the day, but it also adds to the negativity if he's porven innocent. Less chance or more of an uphill battle for him to redeem his name.

If guilty, [frick] yeah, i understand giving him the boot.
Apophis71
Apophis71 - 11/17/2023, 10:02 AM
@Batmangina - Recast is always risky however, get why folk think it should have happened with BP but more oft than not when a major lead is recast the results are poor. Has been exceptions (Harry Potter films) but it isn't akin to reboots of 007, everyone would have critiqued the new actor heavily comparing him to Chad so...

...would Iron Man 3 get the BO it did if RDJ had died and been recast? Seriously doubt it as heavily flawed film carried entirely on RDJ basicaly being Stark in everyones mind at that point...

...get why folk feel the recast should have occured but get why during a multiverse arc they chose not to as a recast BP variant can be brought in at any time and they always planned to intro his Son anyway reportedly so...

...also think the feelings of the cast and crew were a big part of that choice and their RL grief carried over well for their characters emotions on screen over the death of T'Challa regardless views on the story choices.
LordHarryLatts
LordHarryLatts - 11/17/2023, 7:25 AM
The excitement for Kang died in his first appearance. They're in for a rude awakening if they believe he can carry an entire phase.
bobevanz
bobevanz - 11/17/2023, 7:35 AM
@LordHarryLatts - let alone two lol
Apophis71
Apophis71 - 11/17/2023, 9:27 AM
@LordHarryLatts - Second appearance if anything, most, not all but most were sold on He Who Remains at the time of the season one finale and where it could lead to. Seem to recall Majors presence/acting as Kang was the one thing that got praise in Quantumania. Sure he appeared to die at the end and a lot vocal about how he was defeated but for the GA would they view that as much different to Loki falling off a rainbow bridge or Bucky falling from a train at the end of the day?

Anyway, expecting we will probably get at least one more actor playing a Kang variant while they work out where to go with Majors using the they need not all look the same/be the same age and time to sell an OP Kang or four for the GA yet if they craft a great film or three featuring him. One bad film/ending isn't enough to totaly close the door on a villain else Loki wouldn't have returned after Dark World esp during a multiverse arc where variants are an option.
soberchimera
soberchimera - 11/17/2023, 11:50 AM
@LordHarryLatts - The writing is the problem, not the character. There are dozens of great Avengers vs Kang stories in the comics.
blackandyellow
blackandyellow - 11/17/2023, 2:50 PM
@bobevanz - Joe Burrow out for the season. Everyone Dey.
Gabimaru
Gabimaru - 11/17/2023, 7:27 AM
Of course they should. They need to make sense everything for a larger narrative. as much as i want doctor doom to replace him. i don't think MCU will do that. it will be too stupid to drop the ball on that way too early. they can make him a real threat to the multiverse if only they hire some competent directors and writers.
Apophis71
Apophis71 - 11/17/2023, 9:34 AM
@Gabimaru - Dr Doom replacing him could be epic, but want him to be a HUGE main part of a mutant Sage after Secret Wars and whoever is the big bad at the end of this arc they aint gonna make it out of the last event film alive...

...Doom CAN have a huge part in Secret Wars however as part of the villain side if doing a Battleworld thing but that should solidify him as the big bad of what comes next, possibly being the one to help take down the Secret Wars big bad not be him
Origame
Origame - 11/17/2023, 7:30 AM
Yeah, in fairness they committed way too hard on Kang to not use him. Best they can do is salvage what they can and use secret wars as a reboot point.

Maybe save x men for after the reboot to garner hype.
Se4M4NSt4ine
Se4M4NSt4ine - 11/17/2023, 8:26 AM
@Origame - I think the best thing they can do is pull a massive plot twist here, have a known character throughout the whole MCU be revealed to be the real Kang. He’s been watching all along.
Origame
Origame - 11/17/2023, 8:27 AM
@Se4M4NSt4ine - that...actually sounds cool.
kg8817
kg8817 - 11/17/2023, 8:42 AM
@Se4M4NSt4ine - Elaborate on this. How would they use an established character as the real Kang? Would it be an existing Avenger or someone else? I don’t hate the idea just can’t see it working properly.
Apophis71
Apophis71 - 11/17/2023, 9:40 AM
@Origame - Having some Foxmen in Secret wars is fine if handled wlll, the main post event MCU universe however should have all new actors taking on new versions of the mutants bad the odd carry over like Deadpool maybe.

Think everyone, even before any were let down by anything in phase four were already expecting Secret Wars to be a soft reboot anyway however to bring all their characters onto the playing field in a logical (for comics) way using a crisis like event.
AllsGood
AllsGood - 11/17/2023, 7:31 AM
Marvel Studios Wimpy Kang the Conqueror is the worst villain ever in the MCU. Huge majority of the General Audience lost interest in the Multiverse and Time Travel. That's why viewer slipped 40% from Loki Season 2 and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania flopped.
bobevanz
bobevanz - 11/17/2023, 7:36 AM
@AllsGood - Loki season two is the best Marvel content since Endgame, if you can't sew why then you're part of the problem lol
AllsGood
AllsGood - 11/17/2023, 7:41 AM
@bobevanz - Loki Season 2 was boring as Hell worse Marvel show.
bobevanz
bobevanz - 11/17/2023, 7:42 AM
@AllsGood - just admit you like bright lights and flashing colors so we can move on lol
AllsGood
AllsGood - 11/17/2023, 7:44 AM
@bobevanz - Loki Season 2.

KennKathleen
KennKathleen - 11/17/2023, 8:01 AM
@AllsGood - Ant-Man should have been a great film. It had too much Disney influence, and not enough Kirby-Lee feel.

The atrocious dialog, add-in annoying teen, and diluted Kang was the fecal icing on the Crapalot Cake.


This Disney/MARVEL connection has finally evolved into our original assumption.

It feels like our child came home from college, married to the newly cleaned up ex.


We couldn't stop the marriage, so all we did was hoped for the best.

At first- it was fine, bit over time, the signs of relapse began to show.

Now, our child is the product of lame storytelling and agenda building for the sake of child-mind poisioning....



Next up:

SHURI & STORM WEDDING BELLS!!!



YOU SAW IT HERE FIRST!!!

[frick] MARSNEY.
HammerLegFoot
HammerLegFoot - 11/17/2023, 8:01 AM
@bobevanz - You didn't like Wakanda Forever, GOTG, or Shang Chi?
Vigor
Vigor - 11/17/2023, 9:00 AM
@bobevanz - and big angry green monsters
WhatIfRickJames
WhatIfRickJames - 11/17/2023, 9:05 AM
@AllsGood - Loki S2 is easily the best show that Marvel has released. I'm sorry that you're obsessed with its viewership numbers. I hope one day you can achieve peace.
regularmovieguy
regularmovieguy - 11/17/2023, 7:33 AM
Majors is not sticking around and it’s been obvious for a while.
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 11/17/2023, 7:33 AM
Keep pounding that rock because this phase has been so wonderful :/
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