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Credit: Inside the MagicNot long after Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom replacement was confirmed, news surfaced regarding an actor many want to see step into the vacant role of Kang the Conqueror.
It has been a turbulent period for Kevin Feige’s Marvel Cinematic Universe. Take Shawn Levy’s Deadpool & Wolverine out of the equation, and the big screen slate has struggled since 2021. Sure, films like Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) performed well at the box office, but overall, the post-Avengers: Endgame era has been tough for the comic book movie giant.
Not only were box office receipts notably bad but so was the rise and steep fall of Jonathan Majors–the actor who portrayed Kang the Conqueror (and his many Variants) and was tapped to be the next Thanos-level threat in the MCU.
His publicized legal battles–in which ex-partner Grace Jabbari sued him for battery, assault, malicious prosecution, and defamation (via THR)–saw the Creed III (2023) star ousted from the franchise, leaving a gaping hole in the future of the series.
The shift from Kang to the next Big Bad was swift and without explanation. At this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, Kevin Feige revealed that the Russo Brothers (Anthony and Joe Russo) would return to helm the upcoming Avengers two-parter, Avengers: Doomsday (formerly Avengers: The Kang Dynasty) and Avengers: Secret Wars.
Set for release in May 2026 and 2027, respectively, the fifth and sixth Avengers movies were originally expected to feature Kang taking on the new squad of heroes, hence the original Kang Dynasty title.
But with Doomsday, Marvel is seemingly bypassing Kang for another revered Marvel Comics villain–Victor Von Doom, AKA Doctor Doom. And to play the iconic role? Robert Downey Jr. The Oppenheimer (2023) star was revealed to be returning to the MCU as the new character live on stage in San Diego, much to the excitement–and some apprehension–of Marvel fans.
There is no clear information on how audiences will meet Doom, but reports suggest that Downey Jr.–who became beloved for his role as Tony Stark/Iron Man–will make his debut in the post-credits scene of The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025). That said, Doctor Doom is tapped to appear in the MCU this month, although the role was recast with a new actor taking on the villain for this appearance.
So where does that leave Kang? The last audiences saw of the character was his Variant, Victor Timely, in the second season of Loki on Disney+. Before that, Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) and the Wasp (Evangeline Lilly) took on the more classic Kang in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023).
Will Marvel Studios bypass Kang offscreen? Or will they give the character’s departure more fanfare?
Or, considering that this is The Multiverse Saga, will they recast the actor with someone new? That’s what many think the studio will do by tapping Oscar-nominee Colman Domingo for the role.
The Rustin (2023) star has often been rumored to be involved in the MCU. This past February, Domingo told Vanity Fair that his team had met with the Disney-owned studio.
“You know, listen. My team has had conversations with Marvel about some aspect of the MCU for years. Do I know this to be true or not? I actually don’t know,” Domingo told the outlet. “I feel like my team doesn’t bring me something unless it’s real. So I don’t know. I could be in conversation, but I’m not sure. I would welcome a conversation around it.”
Many have assumed that Domingo could be a contender to replace Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror, but so far, nothing has come out of the rumors and reports. That said, new information has surfaced, with Domingo speaking out on joining the franchise.
“I have had a meeting with Marvel, yes. But it wasn’t specifically about anything. They literally sat down and said, “What do you want to do?” And I said, “I don’t know. What do you got for me?” So we’re having engagement, of course,” the actor told Screen Geek.
He added: “Who would not want to be a part of the MCU? I just wouldn’t want it to be right. And something that is created for me and something where I feel like I can give something of myself to. So we’ll find out what that is. I don’t know what it is yet, but I’m patient.”
Domingo isn’t a complete stranger to Marvel Studios, though. In January, he will voice Norman Osborn in Marvel Animation’s Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, alongside Hudson Thames, who replaces Tom Holland as Peter Parker/Spider-Man. Formerly known as Spider-Man: Freshman Year, the upcoming Disney+ series will explore an alternate series of events wherein Norman Osborn becomes Peter Parker’s mentor and not Tony Stark.
As for Jonathan Majors, while it looked like his career had flatlined with the indefinitely delayed Magazine Dreams (now releasing 2025) and his ousting from the MCU, the former is back on the release schedule with Briarcliff Entertainment gaining distribution rights. In addition to the movie news, Majors and Jabbari have now settled the lawsuit.
“Lawyers for both sides on Thursday [November 21] informed the court of a deal to resolve the case,” THR reported. “Terms of the agreement weren’t disclosed, though Brittany Henderson, a lawyer for Jabbari, said the lawsuit was ‘favorably settled.'” The court case news came just months after Majors scored his first movie deal–Martin Villeneuve’s Merciless–since the legal proceedings began in March 2023.
While audiences await updates on how Marvel Studios will manage its next chapter, this month’s What If…? Season 3 will conclude with its third and final season, beginning on December 22. When it comes to movies, next up is February’s Captain America: Brave New World (2025).
Who do you think Colman Domingo could play in the MCU? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!