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Jonathan Majors‘ future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe might be at risk following recent allegations of assault and harassment against a female acquaintance. While Majors has been charged with a number of misdemeanors, and is expected to appear in court at the beginning of May, his lawyers are maintaining his innocence and have even released text messages between the two that, for better or for worse, shine more light on the events that led to the arrest.
Marvel has yet to comment on the situation, and at this point, we expect it will wait until court proceedings are underway. Of course, the damage this could cause to the MCU — considering how important Majors’ character Kang The Conqueror is for the franchise’s short-term plans — is very low on the list of concerns related to this incident. Still, it is perfectly normal for fans to wonder how the superhero studios will handle the issue going forward.
Majors’ portrayal of Kang in Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania was pretty much the only aspect of the film attracting positive reviews and, with the last few releases by Marvel painting a somewhat bleak picture for the franchise, fans were hoping the Creed III actor would be the life jacket keeping it all afloat en-route to the Avengers double-bill ahead.
If Marvel does have to part ways with Majors eventually, a recast could be the easier solution. Considering how interwoven MCU installments are, and how far in advance every move is planned, a change in the storyline to send Kang on his way sooner than initially designed would mean overhauling a number of movies. Luckily, even though Majors seemed like the perfect casting for the menacing time lord, there are a handful of other capable actors that could do the job just as well.
Denzel Washington
Go big or go home, right? A smart way to justify Kang changing his appearance so suddenly is to introduce an older variant, with the power of experience and hindsight on his side. We know that in the comics, in addition to hopping between universes, Kang can also time travel. In fact, we believe that might come into play in finally forming the Young Avengers and introducing us to Nathaniel Richards aka Iron Lad.
This recast would only take a few tweaks to sustain, and having a legend such as Denzel Washington join the MCU would certainly be enough to make up for any unsolvable blemishes that might emerge.
Aldis Hodge
Aldis Hodge’s dip into the superhero world did not go as planned after DC’s Black Adam failed to rise to the public’s expectations. Now in need of a new franchise, Hodge could latch onto Kang and breathe new life into the character. The actor proved he has the range for bone-chilling villainy every time Hawkman’s patience was tested during the DC Universe outing, and he certainly has the presence and the looks needed to bring what might be the MCU’s most dangerous villain to life.
Michaela Coel
Imagine having Michaela Coel agree to join your franchise, only to sideline her into a very secondary character in a movie as epic as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. While we have a feeling Marvel is cooking up a much more important future for Coel’s character, Aneka, just in case we’re wrong, and a supporting storyline is all we’ll ever get, maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to pivot towards a new character. As one of the most exciting actors of her generation, Coel could, without a doubt, nail the emotional complexity of Kang in a way not too dissimilar from what Majors has done with the villain so far.
John David Washington
We don’t mean to keep it in the family, but it’s a fact the Washingtons have talent in their blood. Let’s be real, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where Denzel Washington would put on spandex and deliver intimidating speeches to a green screen, but his son John David Washington is no stranger to big, digitally enhanced, films. David Washington’s turn in Christopher Nolan’s Tenet as well as Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman had everyone mesmerized by his skill and looking to bring him on board, and we’re sure Marvel wasn’t immune. The 38-year-old’s range would open all kinds of possibilities for Kang’s destructive plans.
LaKeith Stanfield
As we mentioned, there’s no shortage of talent in the current generation of actors. Like Majors, Coel, and David Washington, LaKeith Stanfield has also slowly but surely risen in the ranks of the most sought-after talent in Hollywood. While he’s not as physically imposing as other options on this list, his past performances prove he could easily tap into the psychological warfare that’s as much a part of Kang’s character as anything else.