Disney is rethinking the role of Kang in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the wake of Jonathan Majors’ legal troubles. Executives gathered in Palm Springs to weigh their options, and one standout proposal was to pivot to another comic antagonist: Doctor Doom.
Such a pivot isn’t straightforward. Jonathan Majors delivered a standout performance in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and plays a crucial role in Marvel’s Loki Season 2. Further complicating matters is the fact that the Loki Season 2 finale sets the stage for Kang’s appearance in 2026’s Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.
“Marvel is truly f—d with the whole Kang angle,” one top dealmaker who has seen the final Loki Season 2 episode told Variety. “And they haven’t had an opportunity to rewrite until very recently [because of the WGA strike]. But I don’t see a path to how they move forward with him.”
However, Jonathan Majors’ legal issues aren’t the sole trigger for the potential change. An inside studio source cited concerns predating the actor’s arrest. Specifically, the underwhelming box office results of Quantumania had already sowed seeds of doubt about the trajectory of the Multiverse Saga, which sees Kang replace Thanos as the main villain of the MCU.
Otherwise known as Victor Von Doom, Doctor Doom has been casting shadows across the Marvel Universe since his introduction in The Fantastic Four #5 in July 1962. Created by the iconic duo of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Doom has been a pivotal character in some of Marvel’s most celebrated stories.
What we know about Kang’s Marvel Cinematic Universe future
For now, Jonathan Majors is set to reprise his role as Kang in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, which is slated to hit theaters in May 2025, with the 33-year-old actor expected to earn a hefty $20 million payday, including back-end compensation. He is also signed on to appear in Avengers: Secret Wars, at least for the time being.
Avengers: The Kang Dynasty is the first movie in a two-part finale to Marvel’s Multiverse Saga. It will be followed by Avengers: Secret Wars, rounding out Marvel Studios’ Phase 6.
Marvel Studios has enlisted Destin Daniel Cretton to direct Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, with Jeff Loveness handling the script. For Avengers: Secret Wars, Michael Waldron has been tasked with crafting the story, although the director’s seat remains vacant at this time.
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