New reports suggest a replacement for Jonathan Majors as the MCU's Kang the Conqueror, but fans might be surprised by the news.
After starring in Marvel Studios' Loki and Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, Majors seemed poised to be the franchise's next big villain. However, in late March 2023, the actor was charged with and eventually found guilty of assault, derailing those plans.
As a result, the studio has had to pivot away from Majors, considering either a replacement actor or introducing an entirely new villain.
Has Marvel Found A Replacement For Its Kang?
Fans are skeptical about recent reports claiming Marvel Studios has found a replacement for Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror. These reports come from a mysterious press release that surfaced online from the little-known Z News Service.
The press release allegedly announced that actor Keenan Clarke would take over from Majors as the MCU's new villain. However, this release is fake.
Clarke has no significant acting credits, raising suspicions about the authenticity of the report.
Additionally, as reported by Dexerto, the source of the press release is dubious. Z News Service describes itself as a "leading news website that provides its readers with up-to-date and reliable information" on its bio on X (formerly Twitter), but it has only 19 followers on the platform.
It's unlikely that Marvel would trust such a small and obscure news outlet to make such a significant announcement.
What Will Marvel Do About Kang?
Kang's future in the MCU remains uncertain. A February 2024 report from The Hollywood Reporter suggested that Marvel Studios was reworking their franchise plans, potentially minimizing Kang's role and retitling (then-named) Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.
This could mean that Marvel may choose not to recast Kang, cutting the character from future plans altogether.
Keenan Clarke's name hadn't previously been associated with the role of Kang. While several actors have been rumored as potential replacements, Clarke was not among them. One popular fan choice, Them: The Scare star Luke James, expressed disinterest in the role during a June 2024 interview with The Direct:
"Marvel as a whole? Yes. Kang the Conqueror? No. But I wouldn't not not take the meeting. There are so many brilliant characters, because I mean, it's so many characters. There are so many characters I would love a take at."
This could further indicate that Kang might not be part of the MCU's future plans.
Avengers 5 (formerly titled Avengers: The Kang Dynasty) is scheduled for release on May 1, 2026.
