The fate of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been called into question, following the conviction of Jonathan Majors on two counts of domestic assault and harassment. In the wake of the verdict, which stemmed from an incident in March involving Majors and his-then girlfriend Grace Jabbari, Marvel Studios has confirmed that they will not proceed with any future film or television projects involving the actor.
At the time of writing, Marvel has not yet issued a formal statement regarding Majors’ guilty verdict or its role in his future at the studio. In any case, the company’s confirmation of his firing puts a halt in plans for one of Marvel’s key villains, with Majors’ portrayal of Kang the Conqueror being properly introduced in 2023’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
Amid news of Majors’ arrest and trial, Marvel remained largely silent as to Majors’ upcoming roles in the MCU, though he was slated to appear as Kang in 2025’s Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, as well as in the television series Loki. It was reported in November that Marvel had begun plans to recast Majors, reshoot scenes, and tinker with the overall timeline of the MCU, especially given Kang’s key role as the central villain superseding Thanos.
Naturally, given their ardent passion, speculation has long run rampant among MCU fans as to who should replace Majors if the role of Kang was to be recast. In between mentions of Denzel Washington and John Boyega, the buzziest pick for Majors’ potential replacement is Will Smith, who some have suggested could take on the character following Majors’ exit.
So, as the fate of Majors’ Marvel future is sealed and the studio looks to tinker with its new Big Bad, how likely is it that Will Smith will replace Jonathan Majors as Kang?
Could Will Smith replace Jonathan Majors as Kang? The controversial projection, explained
Fan theories have run rampant ever since Majors was first arrested in March, even as Marvel remained silent on their casting movements. Perhaps the starriest names put forth for a potential replacement are Caleb McLaughlin of Stranger Things, Star Wars’ John Boyega, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Jeffrey Wright, the latter two of whom are already involved in Marvel projects.
One projection, however, has caught both the excitement and ire of the fandom, with some suggesting Will Smith should don Kang’s green suit for future iterations of the character. On one hand, the casting choice makes sense. Smith has a proven talent for action-based and superhero-adjacent films, with starring roles in the Men in Black franchise, Hancock, and DC’s Suicide Squad.
Smith is also reliable in terms of the box office — something Marvel has been struggling with of late — with his movies having grossed $9.3 billion total at the box office. Those attributes, as well as his knack for more dramatic acting, might make Smith a desirable choice for Marvel, if it wasn’t for the string of controversies that have followed him in recent years.
For starters, there’s the great Oscar’s slap of 2022; so shocking it reverberated around the world and fuelled months of headlines and updates. Smith was subsequently banned from attending the Academy Awards for the next ten years. Public opinion around the actor has varied in the years since, though his ever-buzzy relationship with Jada Pinkett-Smith has done little to curry favor.
In saying that, it looks as though Smith’s post-slap renaissance is upon us, with the actor slated to appear in blockbusters like Bad Boys 4 and I Am Legend 2, as well as a remake of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. Smith’s ability to front major blockbusters even after past controversies could help his Marvel prospects.
While it’s worth noting that Marvel has in the past not shied away from casting controversial actors — as was the case for Robert Downey Jr. at the time of Iron Man — attaching Smith to the already hot-button role of Kang might attract further controversy. It might be wise for the studio to avoid headlines all together by casting a less controversial (and this time, heavily vetted) actor, and fans on Reddit seem to agree.
An actor most popular among audiences for Majors’ replacement is Denzel Washington, whom fans have suggested could play an older version of Kang. Washington is certainly less controversial than Smith, and holds a similar level of star power and commercial success. Question marks still remain as to whether Washington would even take on the role, and indeed whether any of the aforementioned actors have been approached.
In any case, we will have to await further details from Marvel and the fallout from Majors’ conviction. The actor is expected to be sentenced on February 6, 2024.
