Marvel Rumor Could Spoil Jonathan Majors' Replacement for Kang the Conqueror

As 2023 wound down, the Marvel Cinematic Universe had a major setback: Jonathan Majors, the actor who played Kang the Conqueror in both Loki and Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania, was fired from the role, casting doubt on the future of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. Less than a month later, a new rumors suggests a fan-favorite actor from Fear the Walking Dead could be stepping into the role. According to scooper Daniel Richtman ("DanielRPK"), Coman Domingo is being seriously considered for the job, and could take over the role for the duration of Marvel's "multiverse saga," of which Kang is said to be the "big bad."

Majors played Kang in Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania, after having debuted (a variant of) the part in Loki. The character appeared again in Loki's second season, still played by Majors, because the season had already been filmed before the charges were made. Kang is expected to be a major player both in The Kang Dynasty and its sequel, Secret Wars.

In addition to Fear the Walking Dead, where he was a standout among a talented ensemble cast, Domingo earned an Emmy for his part on HBO's Euphoria. One might have thought he was more likely to end up at DC than Marvel, since he is also considered an Oscar contender this year for his part in The Color Purple. Both Euphoria and The Color Purple hail from DC's owner, Warner Bros.

Richtman's rumor, posted to his Patreon account, remains unconfirmed, but he has a pretty decent track record when it comes to these kinds of things. Forbes has picked up Richtman's tweet as well, suggesting that they find the story credible.

Majors was convicted of assault and harassment last month. While he has yet to be sentenced, the actor could face jail time following charges stemming from a fight with his girlfriend earlier in 2023. Disney waited until the trial was over, but as soon as the conviction was handed down, they parted ways with the Creed III actor.

The MCU has recast roles before, of course -- both the Incredible Hulk and Rhodey spring immediately to mind, but there are others -- but it could be argued none has been as big (or as shocking) as Majors's Kang. Fans immediately started wondering whether a role that big could realistically be recast, or whether Marvel would simply move past Kang and bring in a different villain with a similar storyline. Rumors suggested Doctor Doom might make his way to the MCU, although those didn't get much traction. Given how big and interconnected the Marvel Cinematic Universe is, it's difficult to imagine making a change as huge as shifting a major, multi-film antagonist. Presumably recasting Kang is easier than having to rewrite (potentially) numerous movies in order to introduce somebody else. 

Barring any changes, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty is set for release on May 1, 2026.