Jonathan Majors recently opened up to finally address his thoughts after Robert Downey Jr replaced him as the new big baddie for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Majors had earlier been contracted to play Kang the Conqueror, but Marvel Studios fired the actor following his trial. Majors shared his thoughts with TMZ after the news broke that Downey would take up the role of Doctor Doom shocking everyone while marking his grand MCU return with a different mask.
Jonathan Majors Addressed Robert Downey Jr’s Doctor Doom Replacing Kang
Jonathan Majors. Image Credit: Disney
Jonathan Majors did not hold back on how troubled he is with the new direction the MCU has decided to take. “Yeah. Of course,” he told TMZ. “I love Kang. Doctor Doom is wicked, though.” But the role had seemed to make Majors the next Thanos-level villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with reports of his major roles in upcoming movies including previously titled and dedicated to his character Avengers: Kang Dynasty. But this exit from the franchise followed a string of legal woes.
In December, Majors was convicted of two misdemeanor counts of harassment and assault. This led Marvel to drop him the same day he was found guilty. Following the debacle, there was a series of rumors of Marvel Studios recasting other actors for Kang’s roles. However, that was seemingly out of the question since Majors’ face was well established with the character who appeared in Loki and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Now, with Robert Downey Jr’s Doom replacing Kang, it appears that the Marvel Studios threw the narrative of Kang out of orbit.
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Majors is heartbroken but holds no grudge to the decision of Marvel Studios. “I think it’s fair that Mr. Downey is being and has been greeted with patience and curiosity and love … and [he’s] being allowed to work [his] art and be creative at that level,” Majors said when TMZ asked about depriving him of the opportunity like Downey’s own comeback after facing legal problems in the late ’90s and early 2000s.
Would Majors return to the MCU if given the opportunity? The actor has rather a positive approach to the question saying, “Hell yeah! Hell yeah! I love him. I love Kang. If that’s what the fans want, and that’s what Marvel wants then let’s roll. Hell yeah.”
Jonathan Majors’ Return To MCU Is Very Unlikely Amid Robert Downey Jr’s Return
Robert Downey Jr. Image Credit: Marvel Studios
Majors’ return to the MCU is nowhere near a possibility albeit the actor making a comeback to cinema. The Kang actor is set to appear in Martin Villeneuve’s revenge thriller Merciless after his absence from movies following his trial in court.
RDJ as Doctor Doom being part of the lead cast in two upcoming Avengers movies— Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars was a major shock to most people. Fans’ reception of the news of RDJ’s return is mixed but arguably, it was a brave and bold move from the superhero brand as bringing back Russo Brothers and RDJ cost the Marvel Studios a big chunk of cash.
RDJ made his name (also rebuild his career) with MCU playing Tony Stark/Iron Man. The character was an instant fan favorite. The 59-year-old who recently won an Oscar for his performance in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer played Iron Man for more than a decade since his debut in 2008’s Jon Favreau-directed Iron Man and his tenure ended with his character’s sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame.
The biggest twist from Marvel Studios in 2024, however, confirmed the news of his return at the 2024 San Diego Comic-Con. “New mask, same task,” he said on stage. Marvel directors Anthony and Joe Russo— the team behind the best-regarded recent batch of Marvel films including Marvel’s highest-grosser Avengers: Endgame— joked that the role required “the best actor in the world.”
Marvel’s desperate move to alter the Avengers 5 narrative left no room for Majors’ Kang for the actor to reprise his character again.
Avengers: Doomsday is set to hit the theaters on May 2026.
