With trouble brewing behind the scenes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, plans are afoot to potentially replace villain Kang the Conqueror, with another bad guy, Doctor Doom.
As played by Jonathan Majors, Kang the Conqueror was introduced in Season 1 of Loki, became the antagonist of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and is playing a prominent role in Season 2 of Loki, which is currently airing on Disney+.
The idea is for the megalomaniacal character to be the overarching villain of Phase 5 and Phase 6 of the MCU, leading into Avengers: The Kang Dynasty in 2026, and Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027.
But in March, Majors was arrested for domestic abuse. And that case is going to trial in New York later this month, which in turn, has motivated Marvel bosses to re-think their plans.
Doctor Doom could replace Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror in the MCU
In a wide-ranging report published today, Variety states that Jonathan Majors: “insists he is the victim, but the damage to his reputation and the chance he could lose the case has forced Marvel to reconsider its plans to center the next phase of its interlocking slate of sequels, spinoffs and series around Majors’ villainous character, Kang the Conqueror.”
“At the studio’s annual retreat in Palm Springs in September, the Marvel brain-trust is believed to have discussed back-up plans, including “pivoting to another comic book adversary, like Dr. Doom.”
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That would work for the MCU’s timeline, as Doctor Doom is traditionally a Fantastic Four villain, and that reboot is scheduled for a May 2025 release, which would nicely lead into the next Avengers movie.
Recasting Kang the Conqueror
The final episode episode of Loki Season 2 airs on November 9, 2023, and apparently positions Kang the Conquerer as the MCU’s ongoing villain. It might then be tricky to make that Doom shift.
The alternative is Marvel recasting the role. They have form on that front, with Mark Ruffalo replacing Edward Norton as the Hulk and Don Cheadle taking over from Terence Howard as James Rhodes. But that comes with its own set of risks, so the Marvel bosses will doubtless be closely watching Majors’ trial when it starts at the end of the month.
To read more about the steps Marvel is taking to steady this ship, click here. Or for more superhero coverage, check out the below previews.
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