Marvel Studios shook up its status quo from the Hall H stage at San Diego Comic Con when it announced that the upcoming Marvel movie Avengers 5, which once was called Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, will now be called Avengers: Doomsday. The film will focus on the massive Marvel villain Victor Von Doom, who will be played by Robert Downey Jr., making his triumphant return to the MCU (and earning a hefty paycheck to do so). These moves had to happen because Jonathan Majors got himself into legal issues, forcing Marvel Studios to drop him as their planned Kang the Conqueror. Now, the actor is speaking out.
TMZ caught up with Jonathan Majors as he walked around in public in what seems to be Los Angeles. The outlet asked Majors how he felt about the news that Robert Downey Jr. had been cast as Doom, essentially taking Kang’s role in the MCU. And Majors candidly admitted:
Yeah, heartbroken. C’mon, yeah, of course. I love him. I love Kang. Doctor Doom is wicked, though.
Jonathan Majors had been able to play Kang in a handful of Marvel properties that were building him up to be the Big Bad of the Multiverse Saga. His backstory was explored in depth during two seasons of Loki, available with a Disney+ subscription. And then he got more of a chance to shine as the main villain in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. But after being found guilty of harassment and third-degree reckless assault, Majors was dropped by Marvel.
TMZ went on the ask Majors if he thought it was fair that actors like Robert Downey Jr. and Ezra Miller continued to receive work after their own legal issues, while he lost the job of Kang. And he replied:
I think it’s fair that Mr. Downey is being and has been greeted with patience and curiosity and love. And that Mr. Miller has gotten the same treatment. And that they’re being allowed to work at their art and be creative at that level. I didn’t really get that, so…
Being interviewed by TMZ while trying to walk is not an ideal situation for any Hollywood personality. But Jonathan Majors remained diplomatic when asked by TMZ if he thought he’d ever get another opportunity to come back and play Kang in a future MCU project. The industry was quick to think up replacements for him as Kang, but Majors hopes he’s keeping the door open, saying:
Kang? Hell yeah, hell yeah. That’s what I said, I love him. I love Kang, I love (Timely), I love He Who Remains. If that’s what the fans want, if that’s what Marvel wants, let’s roll. Hell yeah.
For the time being, the MCU seems to be moving towards The Fantastic Four, mutants, the Multiverse, and Doctor Doom as the main threat for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. The studio has been riding high on the success of Deadpool and Wolverine, and they are refocusing creatively on massive movie projects and exciting upcoming Marvel shows. Kang might be part of Marvel’s future. As for Majors, we shall see.
