Jonathan Majors, known for his role in “Lovecraft Country,” has lost his Marvel villain role to Robert Downey Jr. The announcement was made at San Diego Comic-Con last weekend, where Downey Jr., 59, was revealed as the new Doctor Doom, the main antagonist in the upcoming “Avengers” films. Majors, 34, previously portrayed Kang the Conqueror in the Marvel franchise.
The decision to replace Majors with Downey Jr. comes after Majors was found guilty of assault and harassment, although he received no jail time. The incident involved his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari, and took place inside a hired car in New York City. Majors was arrested in March 2023 and convicted in December of the same year. As a result, he was dropped by Marvel, his talent manager Entertainment 360, and his publicity firm, The Lede Company. He also lost his role in the film “The Man in My Basement.”
During the trial, Jabbari testified about the alleged violent outbursts she experienced during her two-year relationship with Majors. She claimed that the relationship ended when he struck her head during the March 2023 altercation. Majors, supported by actress girlfriend Meagan Good, maintained his innocence and stated that Jabbari was the aggressor.
In a recent interview with TMZ, Majors expressed his disappointment over being replaced by Downey Jr. and stated that he still loves the character of Kang. He acknowledged that both Downey Jr. and Ezra Miller, who has faced legal issues of his own, were given opportunities to star in major superhero movies despite their past troubles. Majors expressed his desire to play Kang again if Marvel and the fans are willing.
The casting change means that Downey Jr. will now portray Doctor Doom in the upcoming “Avengers” films, replacing Kang as the main villain. Downey Jr., who previously played Tony Stark/Iron Man, was killed off in 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame.” The two new films, titled “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars,” are set to be released in 2026 and 2027, respectively.
While Downey Jr.’s casting has been met with excitement and curiosity, Majors feels that he did not receive the same level of support and understanding. He expressed his hope that he would have been given a similar opportunity to continue his role despite his legal issues.
The future of the Marvel franchise and the portrayal of Kang the Conqueror remains uncertain. However, Majors’ desire to reprise the role indicates his commitment to the character and his willingness to work with Marvel again.
