Credit: Marvel, edited by ITMWARNING: THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE CONTAINS DESCRIPTIONS OF ASSAULT AND INFLAMMATORY RACIAL COMMENTARY REGARDING THE JONATHAN MAJORS TRIAL.
Controversial actor and now-former Marvel Cinematic Universe star Jonathan Majors has been found guilty on charges of assault and harassment, and, unsurprisingly, MCU fandom is in an uproar over the future of the franchise.
After a nearly three-week trial, which included testimony from Majors’ former partner and accuser Grace Jabbari and closed-circuit TV footage of the incident, Judge Michael Gaffey delivered a jury verdict of one count of reckless assault in the 3rd degree and a charge of harassment as a violation. The actor was also acquitted of two other charges.
Jonathan Majors is widely reported to have been dropped by Marvel Studios, and he will not appear in any further Marvel Cinematic Universe projects. This is an abrupt change for Marvel, which appeared to be standing by the actor as recently as the last few months and previously positioned Majors as the next major villain of the franchise, to the point of having his own eponymous movie in the upcoming (and now apparently renamed) Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.
Related: Marvel Can Easily End the Multiverse Saga Without Jonathan Majors’s Kang
This turn of events involving Jonathan Majors has Marvel Cinematic Universe fans in a furor over the future of the Multiverse Saga, rumors that his character will be recast (similar to how Terrence Howard was early in the franchise), what all of this could mean for The Kang Dynasty, and how much racial tensions might have contributed to the guilty verdict.
For example, Twitter user @TheRealDudja posted the widely spread speculation that Kang could be recast, saying, “Just read that Will Smith might replace Jonathan Majors as Kang. Thoughts?
Just read that Will Smith might replace Jonathan Majors as Kang
Thoughts?— Dudja (@TheRealDudja) December 19, 2023
Another Twitter user, @naima, commented on the differences between the legal issues of Ezra Miller and Jonathan Majors, saying, “I’ve seen some comparisons to Robert Downey Jr & Marvel vs Jonathan Majors… and I get it, but a better comparison is probably Ezra Miller and The Flash, but that’s DC. I think some ppl forget RDJ a. Went to jail for 3 years, b. Had a huge professional drought, and c. Iron Man was his come back”
I've seen some comparisons to Robert Downey Jr & Marvel vs Jonathan Majors… and I get it, but a better comparison is probably Ezra Miller and The Flash, but that's DC. I think some ppl forget RDJ a. Went to jail for 3 years, b. Had a huge professional drought, and c. Iron Man…
— Naima Cochrane (@naima) December 19, 2023
Related: 11 Actors Who Could Replace Jonathan Majors as Kang in the MCU
@LegendOfWinning commented (as did many) on the racial implications of the incident, saying, “Jonathan Majors was essentially found guilty because he was too aggressive when he attempted to get away from Grace Jabbari…In these situations men, ESPECIALLY BLACK MEN, are at such a disadvantage that it is scary”
Jonathan Majors was essentially found guilty because he was too aggressive when he attempted to get away from Grace Jabbari…
In these situations men, ESPECIALLY BLACK MEN, are at such a disadvantage that it is scary
— LegendOfWinning (@LegendOfWinning) December 18, 2023
Many other Twitter users are more broadly concerned with the direction that Marvel Studios might go in the future, given that the company has several rough years of historically low box office receipts and a perceived “fatigue” toward superhero movies in general.
It will probably be a long time before the MCU fandom calms down and maybe even longer before Marvel Studios makes an announcement as to future plans. It also likely won’t get any more calm before then.
What do you think Marvel Studios should do about Jonathan Majors and Kang? Let’s hear your opinions in the comments below.