The Marvel Cinematic Universe got shaken up in a major way this week, with the announcement that Disney and Marvel Studios were parting ways with Kang actor Jonathan Majors. Majors was found guilty on multiple accounts of assault and harassment against his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari, after a year of scandal and a very public trial. While Marvel had been waiting on the official outcome of the trial, the rumor mill had been swirling ever since Majors’ initial arrest that he would lose his role as the next big villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise.
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The speculation that Jonathan Majors wouldn’t get to carry out his arc as Kang in the MCU also came with fan-casting speculation about which actor and/or Marvel character could replace him. One of the leading fan-favorites has always been Star Wars actor John Boyega, who has become both a blockbuster franchise star, as well as a critically acclaimed and respected actor. As far as replacement actors for Majors go, Boyega is a more than solid choice.
The only problem? John Boyega already made it clear he wants no part of playing of playing Kang in the MCU.
— John Boyega (@JohnBoyega) November 20, 2023
Over on social media, Marvel fans are re-boosting a recent response from John Boyega, regarding Jonathan Majors’ ongoing trial (at the time). When one user, @zeekndfilms, instructed Boyega to “tell anthony mackie to connect you w whoever in charge of recasting kang”, Boyega gave a quick and decisive “no” response, using a meme of Donkey from Shrek.
Of course, social media doesn’t have the longest collective memory; as news that Jonathan Majors is out of the MCU has broken, there’s been an immediate resurgence in fan-casting hopes being expressed all over socials, with Boyega’s name being dropped all over again. As such, those fans who do have long enough memories are reminding us that as far as finding a replacement for Kang goes, John Boyega is off the table.
What Happens After Jonathan Majors’ MCU Exit
The big question now is how Marvel Studios will respond to this major change in the plan for the MCU Multiverse Saga. At one point, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige admitted that more of the franchise hinged on Majors than it ever had on any single actor. Then again, Marvel Studios has known for some time that Majors’ trial could end in a conviction and had to have made some kind of alternate roadmap.
Popular leading theories are that indeed, a replacement actor could be cast as Kang, or that an alternative antagonist could replace Kang as the big bad of the Multiverse Saga. We’re sure to find out soon enough.
