Marvel Speaks Out on Jonathan Majors and Kang's Future In MCU

Amid growing fan concerns, a Marvel Studios executive is opening up about the fate of one of the franchise’s most buzz-worthy villains: Kang the Conquerer.

When Did Kang the Conqueror Make His MCU Debut?

Kang has acted as a primary antagonist in many original Marvel comic storylines, facing off against powerful superhero teams such as the Avengers and the Fantastic Four. As the MCU began to explore new branches of comics lore over the years, some Marvel followers began to suspect that the character of Kang would soon be adapted to the big—or little—screen in the coming phases. And after much speculation and widespread anticipation amongst fans, it was confirmed that Kang would be making the leap to live-action in the MCU’s Phase Four.

Primed to become the next big Thanos-level threat, it’s widely understood that Kang is the overarching villain of the Multiverse Saga. Portrayed by Lovecraft Country star Jonathan Majors, Kang made his MCU debut in Season 1 of Disney+’s Loki series to rave reviews from both fans and critics. More recently, Kang served as the primary “big bad” in the latest installment of the Ant-Man franchise, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023).

Fans Raise Concerns Over Kang’s Lack of MCU Appearances

But after the space-traveling antagonist had only made one Phase Four appearance in the final episode of Loki and only has a couple of projects set in stone post-Quantumania, some fans have become concerned about the lack of Kang’s presence in the MCU, leading to speculation about the character’s unclear future. For context, Thanos made three separate appearances before he was established as the main villain in 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War and was also mentioned in prior films. In comparison, Kang has only appeared twice so far.

While it’s clear that Kang is now the MCU’s enemy No. 1, his recent appearance in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania—in addition to some other unexpected events—has left fans concerned about his future in the superhero franchise.

Marvel Studios Exec Speaks Out

In response, Marvel Studios’ VP of Production and Development, Stephen Broussard, recently appeared on a March episode of the D23: Inside Disney podcast to address fans’ complaints about how Kang the Conqueror won’t appear in most of the upcoming projects in the Multiverse Saga.

During the interview, Broussard drew comparisons to the Infinity Saga, explaining how the path for the story wasn’t necessarily laid out until well into Phase Three. Brossard recognized that Marvel fans expect to “have Kang in everything” now that his role is set, especially following Kevin Feige’s Avengers: The Kang Dynasty (2025) announcement:

When we look back at the end of the Infinity Saga, while Thanos was the big bad, we didn’t really know where the first three phases were going, at least some of the Marvel fans like me, who may not have a strong familiarity with the comics. Now, when Kevin announced ‘Kang Dynasty,’ it feels like you gotta have Kang in everything. So obviously, he probably won’t be, but how do you balance setting up a Kang finale of sorts and not have him in every single project leading into it?

NEW: #AntManAndTheWaspQuantumania EP Stephen Broussard on Easter eggs, tying the multiverse together, and what’s coming next for #Loki: https://t.co/471Heoh7ef
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When looking back at the widely-successful Infinity Saga, Broussard pointed to Josh Brolin’s Thanos, whose introduction was “teased in small increments”  through subtle nods, references, and of course, post-credits scenes. Broussard emphasized that the studio wants to make sure the MCU doesn’t repeat itself with similar set-ups and storylines. Further, he explained that Majors’ portrayal of Kang “is going to feel very different” from previous Marvel supervillains. But despite Kang’s pivotal role in the coming phases of the MCU, Broussard doesn’t think Kang is “going to appear in every film”:

I don’t think he’s going to appear in every film, as you say. Obviously, he probably won’t. I’ll also point back to what Kevin [Feige] said at Comic-Con, he branded the first cycle of movies was the Infinity Saga. We are in the Multiverse Saga. And that entails all sorts of things, right?

Broussard also explained that beyond the character of Kang, this new Saga would explore other “parallel universes and Variants,” implying that fans can expect to see similar alternate versions of fan-favorite heroes as they saw in Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022).

What Fans Can Expect From Kang’s Upcoming Appearances

Of course, this podcast was released before the shocking news that Majors was arrested for allegedly assaulting a woman in New York broke on March 25. Amid these recent assault allegations against Majors, his, and by extension, Kang’s, future in the MCU might be up in the air.

But not all hope is lost for those looking to see more Kang the Conqueror. Jonathan Majors is still confirmed to play Victor Timely, another Kang Variant, in Loki season 2, which will arrive on Disney+ before he appears as the main villain in 2025’s Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. These upcoming appearances, in addition to some other potential cameos, could help to finally establish Kang’s presence as the MCU’s next big bad once and for all.

Are you looking forward to seeing more of Kang in Phase Five of the MCU? Chime off in the comments below!