Credit: New Line CinemaIt looks like yet another Marvel Studios actor could be heading to the judge’s bench after being sued by a background actor she worked with on A24’s upcoming horror sequel, MaXXXine (2024).
Related: Disney’s “PR Move” Brings Back Guilty Jonathan Majors with New Update, “That Did Not Happen”
Suffice it to say that 2023 was a rocky year for the once-mighty Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). On top of suffering numerous critical and commercial flops, including the Disney+ Secret Invasion series and the ill-fated The Marvels (2023), the franchise’s future isn’t looking too bright either, now that Jonathan Majors — who played what was supposed to be the overarching villain of the Multiverse Saga, Kang the Conqueror — has been found guilty of misdemeanor assault and harassment, leading to his firing last month.
Majors wasn’t the only MCU antagonist who found himself wrapped up in damning accusations last year, either. Namor actor Tenoch Huerta, who made his Marvel debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), was accused of sexual assault by musician María Elena Ríos over the summer, causing him to drop out of the upcoming Netflix film Fiesta en la Madriguera (2024). Although he’s since gone on record to deny the allegations, it’s hard to imagine the superhero studio bringing him back anytime soon.
Related: See Sydney Sweeney Replace Tom Holland as the New Spider-Man
Now, it appears that Mia Goth, who’s set to star in the upcoming Blade (2025) reboot opposite Mahershala Ali, is the latest MCU star to find herself in the middle of a pretty damning lawsuit after an incident reportedly took place on the set of director Ti West’s upcoming horror threequel, MaXXXine. According to court documents filed with the Los Angeles Superior Court last week, Goth “intentionally kicked” an extra, James Hunter, in the head with her boot before “taunting” and “belittling” him for the injury.
Per Variety, the incident occurred during a scene last April when he was hired for three days of work to play the role of “Dead Parishioner.” On the first night of shooting, he lay on the ground for several hours, covered in fake blood, “enduring ants and mosquitoes.” Here, Goth, who plays the title character, was to run past him and sometimes step over him, look down, and keep running. On the fourth take, Goth nearly stepped on him, leading Hunter to complain to the second assistant director.
The concern was relayed to Goth, who, according to the suit, deliberately kicked him in the head with her boot during the next take. After the scene was completed, Hunter allegedly fled to the bathroom to assess his injuries when Goth came in and “taunted, mocked and belittled” him, daring him to do anything about it. Supposedly, he suffered a concussion, forcing him to pull over twice while driving home after experiencing lightheadedness. To add insult to injury, the casting agency informed Hunter that the production did not want him back the next day.
Interestingly, the suit accuses Goth of battery and also includes a wrongful termination claim against both A24 and Ti West. The Pearl (2022) actress has yet to release a statement on the matter and will likely remain silent until the case progresses — if it ever does, that is. There’s a strong chance Goth and Hunter could settle the lawsuit, keeping the dispute out of court entirely. However, if A24, West, or Goth and her team want to fight the accusations, we could see this case unfold throughout the coming year.
With so much resting on the Blade reboot’s success, it’s alarming to learn that yet another performer from Marvel’s corner is wrapped up in a highly-publicized legal scandal. While the lawsuit doesn’t appear to be to the extent of Majors,’ given that multiple women spoke out against the Kang actor, it’s certainly not a good look for Goth even if this was an isolated incident, especially as she prepares for what could be her biggest role to date.
For now, Mia Goth’s reps have yet to comment, and it’ll be interesting to see where this case goes as the release date of MaXXXine inches closer. As for the actress’ mystery role in Blade, things are a bit more convoluted, as the superhero flick was postponed due to rewrites and production issues, on top of the now-resolved WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. It’s hard to say if cameras have even begun rolling yet, but from the sounds of it, another delay could be imminent.
Blade is currently scheduled to arrive in theaters on November 7, 2025.
Who do you think Mia Goth will play in Marvel Studios’ Blade reboot? Let us know in the comments below!