Will Kang be recast in the MCU?

Jonathan Majors is officially out of the MCU. So, will Marvel Studios recast Kang the Conqueror, or scrap the supervillain entirely?

Jonathan Majors’ Kang was originally set to serve as the overarching antagonist of the MCU Phases Five and Six. A variant version of the baddie, He Who Remains, appeared in Loki Season 1, which also set up Kang himself as a future threat.

Kang then made his “proper” debut in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, with many critics singling out Majors’ performance as a highlight of the film. Another of Kang’s variants, Victor Timely, subsequently played a prominent supporting role in Loki Season 2, again portrayed by Majors.

However, Majors’ days of suiting up as Kang and his numerous offshoots now appear to be over. Marvel Studios fired the star on December 18, hours after he was found guilty of assault.

Will Kang be recast in the MCU?

It’s currently unclear whether Marvel Studios will recast Kang the Conqueror and his associated MCU variants. However, there are reports that other actors are being considered for the role.

One thing we do know is that Majors definitely won’t reprise the role in the future. So, should Marvel Studios move forward with its plans for Kang – including Avengers: Kang Dynasty and its sequel, Secret Wars – they’ll need a replacement actor.

That said, a source supposedly close to Majors recently alleged that his contract prevents him from being recast. Yet even if this is indeed true, Majors’ assault conviction would presumably render any such clause void. Bottom line? It seems that Majors is indeed replaceable.

As for any frontrunners for the gig, fans have already put forward everyone from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’s Chukwudi Iwuji to Iron Man’s Terrence Howard as possible substitutes for Majors. However, none of these performers is formally linked to the Kang role at present.

A somewhat more credible Kang candidate has since emerged, though. Established scooper Daniel Richtman recently reported that Marvel Studios is circling Colman Domingo for the part. Domingo’s previous credits include Euphoria, Fear the Walking Dead, Candyman, and The Color Purple.

Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Domingo insisted not even he’s sure whether he’s in the running to play Kang. “I know there’s talk and conversations around [it], and I don’t know how much is true,” he said. “I don’t even get that from my team, I can’t tell if it’s true or not.

“The fans are passionate. Somehow my name is out there in the world [and] I like the idea of just having your name called and someone speaking lovingly and kindly about something is a beautiful thing.”

Another equally feasible replacement Kang is The Creator’s John David Washington. Richtman added Washington’s name into the casting mix in late January 2024, however, nothing further has come of this rumor yet.

We’ll update this section as further information about Kang’s MCU recasting comes to light.

Will Marvel Studios axe Kang from the MCU?

Marvel Studios is yet to comment on Kang’s MCU future – but recent reports indicate there’s a chance another character will replace him as Phase Five and Six’s big bad.

In November, sources claimed that Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige and his inner circle were already weighing up whether to scuttle their existing, Kang-centric MCU roadmap. These discussions supposedly touched on candidates to replace the time-traveling villain, with Doctor Doom allegedly a contender.

There’s also persistent online buzz surrounding Kang Dynasty getting a new title, which many fans believe is yet another sign Kang is exiting the stage. Mooted alternate titles such as “Eternity Wars” remain unconfirmed, although insiders say Marvel Studios now refers to Kang Dynasty as Avengers 5 internally.

That’s everything we know about Kang’s potential recasting in the MCU. Check out some of our other superhero hubs below:

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