Jonathan Majors Dropped by Marvel Studios Following Assault Verdict

Marvel Studios is officially parting ways with Kang the Conqueror actor Jonathan Majors, after news of his conviction in his recent criminal trial. The news was broken mere hours after a Manhattan jury found Majors guilty of both harassment and reckless assault in the third degree, in relation to an altercation with his ex-partner, Grace Jabbari. He was found not guilty of two other charges in the case — intentional assault in the third degree, as well as aggravated harassment in the second degree. Sentencing is scheduled to take place on February 6, 2024, and Majors could face up to a year in jail for these charges.

It is unclear at this point if Majors' role of Kang the Conqueror, as well as his subsequent variants from across the Marvel multiverse, will be recast, or if Marvel Studios will pivot away from the character entirely. Previous reports have indicated that the studio is looking to pivot away from the character, and towards another Marvel Comics villain such as Doctor Doom, in the wake of the arrest. Majors was previously expected to reprise his role in the upcoming fifth Avengers movie (initially titled Avengers: The Kang Dynasty) as well as 2027's Avengers: Secret Wars. As was confirmed on Monday, Marvel Studios is still moving forward with Avengers 5 in some capacity, with Michael Waldron tapped to write the latest iteration of the script. Majors has appeared in the MCU twice this year, as Kang the Conqueror in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and as Victor Timely and He Who Remains in the sophomore season of Loki, both of which were filmed prior to his arrest. 

"I know as much as you do at the moment," Loki producer Kevin Wright previously told Variety of Majors' onscreen future. "It felt hasty to do anything without knowing how all of this plays out."

The March 25th altercation between Majors and Jabbari was confirmed to lead to her hospitalization, with an NYPD spokesperson revealing that she "sustained minor injuries to her head and neck and was removed to an area hospital in stable condition." The charges concerning this case were brought by the state of New York, and according to reports from April, multiple additional alleged abuse victims of Majors' came forward to cooperate with the Manhattan district attorney's office. Manhattan ADA Michael Perez argued during the trial's opening statements that Majors displayed a "cruel and manipulative pattern of abuse" in his relationship with Jabbari, who he met on the set of Quantumania. Majors pled not guilty on all charges. 

This decision from Marvel Studios comes after a number of entertainment companies or brands parted ways with Majors shortly after news of the arrest became public in March. The actor reportedly parted ways with his management Entertainment 360 and PR firm Lede Company, with Entertainment 360 citing "issues of the actor's personal behavior." Majors was also dropped from two upcoming films — The Man in My Basement and a currently-untitled Otis Redding biopic — as well as ad campaigns involving the MLB's Texas Rangers and the United States Army. An upcoming movie starring Majors, the boxing drama Magazine Dreams, was originally scheduled to be released in theaters on December 8th, but has been delayed indefinitely by Disney.