Credit: Marvel StudiosFans are unimpressed by the news of one Marvel actor’s return in light of sexual harassment accusations made in 2022.
After struggling through its “flop era,” the past few weeks have been a string of much-hyped news and announcements from Marvel Studios. Fresh off the successful release of Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) – which is rapidly approaching the $1 billion mark – we’ve received plenty of Marvel updates at both San Diego Comic-Con and D23.
The most shocking was, of course, the news that Robert Downey Jr. will return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe – but not as Iron Man. Five years after the release of Avengers: Endgame (2019), Downey Jr. is set to ditch Tony Stark in favor of Doctor Doom, seemingly the new big bad of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga.
Jawdropping reveals aside, other tidbits revealed in recent weeks include previews for Captain America: Brave New World (2025), Thunderbolts* (2025), and the Disney+ series Agatha All Along.
Audiences at D23 also learned that season one of the Disney+ series Daredevil: Born Again – which will see the return of Charlie Cox (Daredevil), Vincent D’ONofrio (Wilson Fisk), Deborah Ann Woll (Karen Page), Elden Henson (Foggy Nelson) and Jon Bernthal (The Punisher) – has wrapped filming ahead of its March 2025 release, and season two of the show is already heading into production.
New footage shared at the event also revealed the return of a surprising Marvel character: Yusuf Khan, father of Kamala Khan (AKA Ms. Marvel).
Portrayed by Mohan Kapur, the character previously appeared in both the Disney+ series Ms. Marvel and Kamala Khan’s (Iman Vellani) big-screen debut, The Marvels (2023), alongside Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) and Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris).
However, his return has stirred some controversy on X (formerly known as Twitter) in light of the grooming accusations leveled against Kapur back in 2022.
Kamala Khan’s father will appear in ‘DAREDEVIL BORN AGAIN’
Kamala Khan’s father will appear in ‘DAREDEVIL BORN AGAIN’ pic.twitter.com/LmSNnnYhud
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) August 10, 2024
A woman took to social media to claim that Kapur “took advantage of [her]” and sent her inappropriate images when she was 15 years old.
TW: When I was 14 years old, I was a fan of this serial actress & we became friends. Her partner at that time Mohan Kapur also became friends with me. I respected the both of them almost like 2nd parents, & told them about my stressful life. But Mohan Kapur took advantage of me.
We constantly talked until I notice he started flirting with me. Then when I was 15 years old Mohan Kapur sent his d**k pics to me. He was apologizing nonstop & was depressed…. I forgave him. But after that he continued to harass me….
Said things like how he was in love with me, wanted to marry me, wanting me to grow up to be with him, and can’t wait for me to get older so I can sleep with him. Now I know that Mohan Kapur was grooming me.
The alleged victim went on to claim that, after being confronted over the situation, Kapur tried to gaslight her into believing she was at fault. She claimed that his former partner also tried to gaslight her.
My depression got worst & I was planning to take my own life…. I kept on calling Mohan Kapur… he ignore my calls… and at times told me to get over it. Then completely twist the whole story to make me look like the bad person… he kept on saying that he can’t trust me.
She also shared a conversation in which Kapur responded to being asked why he requested explicit nude images.
Since the accusations first surfaced, there’s been no further update. However, it seems like Kapur’s spot in the MCU is safe, something fans have since questioned on X.
“Leave it up to Disney to fire someone because they don’t politically align with the leftist orthodoxy and keep a person accused of sexual harassment and grooming a 15 year old,” wrote @JustinAwesomo.
“How does he still have a job?????” added @nightwaynes.
“Big Yikes Marvel, should’ve at least recast him,” said @Pat_Scamander.
Is Daredevil gonna beat the shit out of him for sending pics to minors?
Is Daredevil gonna beat the shit out of him for sending pics to minors? https://t.co/PSN5rMIRvF
— Twink David Harbour (@brandonjc_art) August 10, 2024
Meanwhile, @southernstonerd questioned, “Will Matt Murdock be defending him against a certain set of allegations?”
Some have also drawn comparisons between the situation and Jonathan Majors, who portrayed Kang in the Disney+ series Loki and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023). In 2023, shortly after the release of Ant-Man 3, the actor was arrested in New York and later convicted for the assault and harassment of his former girlfriend.
Marvel Studios promptly fired the actor, scrapping and reworking what was supposed to be Avengers: Kang Dynasty into Avengers: Doomsday (and recruiting Downey Jr. for his $80 million MCU return).
“He’s working but Jonathan Majors was fired?” said @GodzillaVKongF1.
“Crazy how he’s still around and not Johnathan majors,” commented @MrJ21670543. “Unless those accusations were false idk.”
Kapur’s history with the MCU goes back further than his role as Yusuf Khan. He has previously also provided the Hindi dub for Doctor Strange in Doctor Strange (2016), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), and most recently, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022).
For now, we’ll have to wait until March 2025 to see how large of a part Yusuf Khan plays in Daredevil: Born Again. However, it is curious that his character is one of those chosen to make a cameo – and that Disney chose to release this information ahead of time.
Are you excited for Daredevil: Born Again?