What's Next For the MCU Now That Jonathan Majors Is Convicted?
Marvel has already enacted major changes.
Summary
- The arrest and conviction of Jonathan Majors for assault and harassment is one of the biggest Hollywood scandals of 2023.
- The actor has been fired by Marvel.
- Majors played a central antagonist in the MCU.
- The future of the character and films about him is uncertain.
It's only been a few days since the news of Jonathan Majors' conviction broke, and it remains a hot topic. It seems that the scandal will have a detrimental effect on Hollywood for a number of reasons. First and foremost, it's going to start a new streak of talk about domestic abuse among the rich and famous and how they very often get away with it. But perhaps more importantly, it will have a direct impact on the film industry, as the actor was set to play a central role in Marvel's upcoming projects.
Although Jonathan Majors was arrested in March for assault and harassment, Marvel held off on firing the actor. However, as the case progressed, Disney, which owns Marvel, dropped its upcoming projects starring Majors. Following the actor's recent conviction, the studio behind fan-favorite superhero movies fired him altogether. But given Majors' prominent role in the MCU's current phase, many people are wondering what will become of the franchise.
Jonathan Majors' Involvement in the MCU
The actor may be a newcomer to Marvel, but he has already become one of the franchise's central characters. Debuting in the first season of the studio's hit series Loki, Jonathan Majors quickly became a fan favorite, portraying a fascinatingly complex character, He Who Remains, also known as Kang the Conqueror. Appearing in several forms, he was later revealed to be a major antagonist in the series.
Majors later reprised his role in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantimania – one of the highest grossing releases of the year, grossing $476 million at the box office. And the second and final installment of Loki, which concluded over a month ago, was also largely about He Who Remains.
In addition, Jonathan Majors was set to be the main antagonist in the fifth Avengers movie, originally titled Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. Now that the actor has been convicted, the future of the project seems uncertain.
First Post-Conviction Changes in the MCU
Following Jonathan Majors' guilty verdict, Marvel has fired the actor. In addition, the studio has renamed its upcoming projects that were to star or feature him. For example, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty is now called Avengers 5. While the studio hasn't revealed its plans for the future of Kang the Conqueror, it's clear that Marvel has a different perspective on its future films.
Sure, the character could simply be recast. But there's a chance that the next Marvel movies will follow a different storyline.