Marvel Rumor: Disney Scrapping Kang-MCU Storyline After Firing Avengers 5 Writer

Once an unstoppable juggernaut and the envy of Hollywood, Disney's Marvel Cinematic Universe has finally started to stumble, and now it seems like Marvel could be ready to completely abandon the franchise's main villain, Kang the Conqueror, as it attempts to right the ship. Faced not only with flagging box office numbers but also scandal surrounding Kang actor Jonathan Majors, one reporter with connections inside Marvel says the MCU has ousted a writer whose work was central to upcoming "Avengers" movies featuring Kang.

Speaking on the "House of R" podcast, author and journalist Joanna Robinson revealed that an unnamed source had confirmed to her that Jeff Loveness, the screenwriter behind "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" and the upcoming "Avengers: The Kang Dynasty," has been let go from Marvel as the studio now plans to scrap Kang (Jonathan Majors) as the primary antagonist of the MCU. 

Robinson is known for her in-depth reporting on the MCU, having co-written the recent'y published book "MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios." She dropped the bombshell nearly three hours into the podcast, saying, "I had it confirmed to me [Loveness] is no longer working for Marvel, and ... I asked the person why, and they said the reason why was that ... he was all wrapped up in this Kang storyline and that they are likely going to be moving away from that." While Robinson was clear that Marvel has not officially confirmed the change, she was confident that the studio is done trying to make the Kang storyline work.

Once hyped up by Kevin Feige and others at Marvel Studios as the ultimate threat to the multiverse, Kang debuted in the "Loki" Season 1 finale in 2021 before showing up as the villain of "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania." Another version of him, the bumbling Victor Timely, was central to "Loki" Season 2, and in the upcoming "Avengers: The Kang Dynasty" and "Avengers: Secret Wars," he would have been a villain on par with Josh Brolin's Thanos.

However, multiple factors have stymied the studio's plans. The COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020 threw a massive wrench in the well-oiled MCU machine. Then wrench number two came in the form of historic Hollywood labor strikes, with writers and actors — respectively represented by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA — taking to picket lines and putting Hollywood on hold. Finally, Kang himself became a liability, as Jonathan Majors was arrested on assault charges.

For the better part of a decade, MCU movies ruled the box office. But in 2023, its Hulk-strength grip over the industry has waned. Recent films have struggled to make the same impact and have been the subject of critical disdain. This week, the franchise saw its most dismal opening weekend yet, as "The Marvels" bombed at the box office with a paltry $47 million. Robinson's claim that Marvel is scrapping the Kang storyline, if true, signals that the studio understands the extent of the damage to its brand and is now focused on making the necessary repairs.

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