The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is at a major crossroads following the conviction of actor Jonathan Majors in his final trial. The actor was fired by Marvel and the course of the Avengers series changed considerably. Here are the details.
Jonathan Majors fired from role of Kang, Avengers 5 heading for name change
Marvel has severed ties with actor Jonathan Majors, known for his character Kang in the MCU, following his recent legal problems. The firing decision came after Majors was found guilty of third-degree assault and harassment on Dec. 18. A Marvel spokesperson confirmed that Majors will no longer be associated with the studio.
Majors gained prominence in the MCU after he was introduced as Kang at the end of Loki season 1, followed by appearances in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and the second season of Loki. He was set to become a major villain in the MCU and was initially expected to be the lead in the upcoming Avengers film, which was titled Avengers: Kang Dynasty.
Majors’ character, Kang, is a complex time traveler with multiple variants. Before his firing, Majors, who appeared in Ant-Man 3’s post-credits scene as He Who Remains, Kang, Victor Timely, and others, was expected to portray various versions of Kang on screen. However, with Majors’ departure, the Kang character’s presence in the MCU was shelved.
Isn’t the original Avengers team regrouping? Captain America has spoken!
Actor Chris Evans, who plays Captain America, has spoken out about rumors of the original Avengers team being reunited.
As a result of this development, the upcoming Avengers movie has undergone a significant change. The movie, originally called Avengers: Kang Dynasty, is now simply called “Avengers 5”. The film is currently in the script stage, with Loki creator Michael Waldron taking on the role of screenwriter since late November. While the film is planned to be released on May 1, 2026, no director has been assigned to the project at this time.
The decision to part ways with Majors presented a challenge for Marvel because the actor’s performance was well-connected with the character of Kang. It remains unclear whether Marvel will reprise the role or take a different creative approach to address the absence of Kang, the anticipated villain in Avengers 5.
While Marvel deals with this unexpected change, fans are very curious about Kang’s casting choice. What are you thinking? Please don’t forget to share your thoughts with us in the comments.