Credit: Marvel StudiosIt’s finally been confirmed: Marvel is cutting Kang as the MCU’s next big-bad.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Marvel Studios has made the decision to “retool” what was supposed to be Avengers: Kang Dynasty (2026).
This follows Kang actor Jonathan Majors’ conviction of reckless assault in the third degree and harassment following an incident with his ex-partner – a movement coach he met through Marvel – in early 2023.
However, The Hollywood Reporter claims that Marvel planned to move away from Kang even before firing Majors in December 2023. His cinematic debut, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023), massively underperformed both critically and financially at the box office (although it’s worth noting that Kang was named as the film’s highlight for many, and was also well-received in the Disney+ series Loki).
For now, it’s unclear whether Marvel plans to “minimize [Kang] or excise him entirely.” Both Kang Dynasty (or whatever it may soon be known as) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027) are currently in the process of being rewritten. Considering that even minimizing Kang would require casting a new actor in the role, it may be simpler for the studio to cut the character completely.
But where does that leave The Avengers? In film industry years, 2026 isn’t too far away. Marvel productions are bigger than most – especially those that fall under the Avengers banner, which requires multiple leading men and women and needs to tie into a complex, overarching storyline.
Related: Marvel Manages the Multiverse – Which Spin-Offs Matter
Finding a new big bad takes time both behind the scenes and on screen. Whatever route Marvel takes, it’ll be near-impossible to find an antagonist for the Multiverse Saga whose story is as neatly interwoven as that of Thanos. It’ll also inevitably have knock-on effects on future titles, with Avengers: Secret Wars initially described as a follow-up to Kang Dynasty, à la Endgame and Infinity War.
Challenging though it may be, it seems like Marvel is more than up to the task. The studio is apparently undergoing major shakeups behind the scenes this year in an effort to reset the course of the MCU after recent flops such as The Marvels (2023) and Secret Invasion. “They’re not going to give up,” a source who has worked with Marvel over the past year told The Hollywood Reporter. “They want to make something great.”
The next Marvel film to hit the big screen is Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) – the studio’s sole theatrical release of the year – on July 25, 2024.
How do you think Marvel should handle Kang’s exit from the MCU? Let us know in the comments!