Marvel made a bold move when they introduced Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror in Loki, setting him up as the next big villain across the Multiverse Saga. However, with the recent scandal involving assault allegations against Majors, Marvel has reportedly considered moving in a different direction. But will Kang remain the central antagonist going forward?
Will Kang Remain the Main Villain for Marvel Despite Jonathan Majors’ Scandal?
According to an industry source, goes by the name MyTimeToShineHello on Twitter, Marvel is “not moving away from Kang” and plans to continue featuring the powerful time-traveling warlord as the overarching villain, despite parting ways with Jonathan Majors. This likely means recasting the role with a new actor rather than shifting focus to a backup option like Doctor Doom.
As stupid as this scene was I comfirmed they're not moving away from Kang https://t.co/Unpva1R7wz
— MyTimeToShineHello (@MyTimeToShineH) February 24, 2024
Introducing Kang was clearly part of a long-term plan, with seeds planted across Phase 4 about the rise of this virtually unstoppable conqueror. Changing course now could undermine years of build-up and extensive future storylines. As one insider noted, “As stupid as this scene was I confirmed they’re not moving away from Kang.”
After all the groundwork to establish Kang as the next Thanos-level threat, it would seem likely that Marvel will want to follow through with their plans. Recasting the role allows them to maintain the narrative trajectory, with a different actor inheriting storylines like the brewing Secret Wars confrontation.
Could Doctor Doom Still Factor Into Future MCU Plans?
Early rumors suggested Doctor Doom might be considered as a replacement main antagonist if Kang was scrapped. But it now seems Marvel will stick with Kang as the central villain going forward. Where does this leave plans for Doctor Doom?
The iconic Fantastic Four nemesis is definitely still on Marvel’s radar. But rather than elevating him as the new overarching big bad, it’s more plausible that he serves as a secondary villain. This allows Doom and Kang to co-exist as dual threats without requiring a sudden change of plans to the long-developed Kang narrative.
How Will This Impact Kang’s Role in Upcoming Films Like Avengers 5?
Marvel has remained tight-lipped regarding details of Avengers 5 and the larger Multiverse Saga arc. But if Kang remains the proposed main villain as intended, his role moving forward will likely be unchanged despite being recast.
The new actor would inherit storylines and appearances originally planned for Majors. That means we probably won’t see any drastic modifications to Kang’s trajectory toward a climactic Avengers 5 showdown. Other Phase 5-6 projects setting up the larger storyline should also remain mostly intact under a new Kang portrayal.
In the end, while replacing Majors poses some challenges, sticking with Kang prevents having to overhaul extensive future plans. As jarring as it might be to see a new take on the villain after his impactful introduction, Kang still seems destined to take the fight to Earth’s Mightiest Heroes when the next two Avengers films arrive.
