Will John David Washington Replace Jonathan Majors As Kang? A Marvel Rumor Explained

Almost immediately after he was found guilty on multiple charges in a highly publicized domestic abuse case, Disney cut ties with Kang the Conqueror actor Jonathan Majors, leaving the Marvel Cinematic Universe's future in a state of uncertainty. Majors made his MCU debut as the multiverse-jumping, time-manipulating villain on the "Loki" Season 1 finale before serving as the main antagonist in "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania." He was poised to be the successor to Thanos, serving as the overarching baddie in the Multiverse Saga. Majors' firing leaves a crucial role vacant. But according to one Hollywood insider, a new actor may have been added to the shortlist of replacements. 

Daniel Richtman shared on his Patreon that "Tenet" and "BlacKKKlansman" star John David Washington could be in the running to take over. He didn't provide any other details, but Richtman has proven reliable in the past, having predicted the return of Hailee Steinfeld as Kate Bishop months before she appeared in "The Marvels." However, he has also said that Marvel is eyeing Colman Domingo to play Kang, so it's hard to say what to believe. Either way, Marvel needs a new Kang, and quick — especially considering how much the studio had riding on Majors.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

According to Joanna Robinson, author of "MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios," Jonathan Majors' Kang was never meant to play such a pivotal role in the franchise's future, but his work impressed studio execs so much they insisted the character play a more prominent role in the Multiverse Saga. "I was told by someone who works for Marvel it was not the plan to make Kang the center of everything until they saw the dailies from 'Quantumania' and after his performance in 'Loki,' which was so strong they were like, 'This is it,'" she said on The Ringer's podcast "The Big Picture." "This is our way forward. We've lost our varsity hero team, but let's set up around this guy Kang and this performer that so many people are reacting to.'"

Considering the next Avengers movie once had the subtitle "The Kang Dynasty," it's clear Marvel put a lot of eggs in the Jonathan Majors basket. In a "Quantumania" mid-credits scene, there's an arena full of Kang variants Marvel could have been looking to explore. If Majors was meant to be as much of a lynchpin of the Multiverse Saga as reports have suggested, the studio will have trouble moving forward until they find someone to fill his shoes. However, according to Robinson, that may be a tall task. "I would argue [Marvel Studios has] never hung so much of a franchise on one actor as they tried to hang it on Jonathan Majors," she said. But if this latest rumor is true, Disney is wasting little time looking for a less problematic substitute.