MCU’s new poster boy Jonathan Majors is losing all his professional connections left, right, and center. All eyes are now on Marvel Studios and its decision to move forward with the actor.
Things went sideways for Majors when ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania star got arrested on domestic abuse charges in New York City. Subsequently, the Internet got taken aback by the sudden downturn of the star’s image and how this incident would shape his on-the-rise acting career.
Has Marvel Dropped Jonathan Majors?
The short answer is: not yet. As mentioned by Marvel’s above-all Kevin Feige, Kang the Conqueror is the new big-baddy for the ongoing MCU phase-5. Majors has already starred in the Disney+ series ‘Loki’ as He Who Remains or simply Kang, followed by his role as the main antagonist in ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.’
As per insider reports, Marvel is said to have had “zero conversations” about dropping Jonathan Majors as Kang. Earlier, rumors were floating around that the comic-book giant might possibly go with ‘Snowfall’ actor Damson Idris as the new Kang the Conqueror.
Also, Majors has already finished shooting for the second season of ‘Loki,’ but he wouldn’t begin shooting ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ for “quite some time.”
Why Was Jonathan Majors Dropped?
On March 25th, Jonathan Majors was arrested briefly over a 911 call by a woman (believed to be his girlfriend) who stated that the actor physically assaulted her in a cab over texts from another woman. The victim, whose identity is still unknown, suffered “minor injuries to her head and neck” and was taken to the hospital as per the authorities.
Though the actor’s lawyer claimed that Majors was “completely innocent, and probably the victim,” he is required to appear before a judge on May 8th as he’s charged with multiple counts of harassment and assault from the New York City D.A.
Hours after the news of Majors’ arrest broke out, the US Army took down an advertising campaign featuring the actor. On April 17th, multiple reports stated that talent management agency Entertainment 360 had cut ties with Majors due to “issues of the actor’s personal behaviour.”
Majors’ contract with PR firm ‘The Lede Company’ is now at an indefinite halt. In addition to this, Majors and fashion house Valentino “mutually agreed” that he would not be attending this year’s Met Gala as a guest.
Majors’ Side of the Story
Just a day after the ‘Creed III’ actor’s arrest, his defense attorney Priya Chaudhry stated:
“We are quickly gathering and presenting evidence to the District Attorney with the expectation that all charges will be dropped imminently.”
“The evidence includes video footage from the vehicle where this episode took place, witness testimony from the driver and others who both saw and heard the episode, and most importantly, two written statements from the woman recanting these allegations.”
Priya Chaudhry (Major’s Attorney)
The actor’s attorney released a series of text messages where the alleged victim talks about taking the blame for the fight. The 30-year-old woman stated that the authorities assured her that Majors wouldn’t be charged and had to be taken into custody as a standard protocol.
Chaudhry also told the press that she plans to put forward more evidence to prove her client’s innocence in the entire episode. The evidence contains “video footage from the vehicle, witness testimony from the driver and others who both saw and heard the episode, and most importantly, two written statements from the woman recanting these allegations.”
Is Jonathan Majors Recast as Kang?
Following the number of reports on the case, Marvel has stayed silent on the matter. Majors’ Marvel co-stars, directors, and producers haven’t made any statements either. It appears that Marvel is still waiting for the next court hearing. If Majjors gets his charges dropped, the studio would want to continue pursuing its projects as planned.
Although it’s pretty evident that Marvel will face backlash despite the final verdict from the court, putting any other actor who’s as convincing as Jonathan Majors for the role of Kang is a risky move in itself.
The fans and critics have wholeheartedly accepted Majors as Kang, given the sheer credibility he’s shown with his acting skills. Marvel should treat him as the last surviving hope for the MCU to rise from its ashes.
In terms of box office numbers, Jonathan Majors has proved himself as a bankable star with both his previous theatrical ventures, ‘Creed III’ and ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,’ grossing a combined $745 million globally.
The actor is likely to be seen in the upcoming Loki Season 2 on Disney+, and if things go well for Majors, we will see him fighting against the earth’s mightiest heroes in ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ set to release in 2025.
Well, that’s about it, folks! What are your views on the matter? Do you think Jonathan Majors is innocent?
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