Following the recent updates about Jonathan Majors’ journey in the MCU, Will Smith has seemingly become a fan favorite to portray the Marvel villain Kang the Conqueror. The actor who made his MCU debut as He Who Remains in the Disney+ series Loki has featured in multiple MCU projects. However, there have been several conversations about the studio potentially replacing him after he was arrested on assault, strangulation, and harassment charges.
And the studio has now dropped the actor after a Manhattan jury announced the verdict following a two-week trial about the March 2023 incident between the actor and his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari.
Marvel Fired Jonathan Majors After Assault And Harassment Verdict
While Jonathan Majors was set to portray the next supervillain of the MCU, his journey into the superhero universe has been cut short after a Manhattan jury found him guilty of assault in the third degree and guilty of harassment stemming from his March confrontation with ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari.
His sentencing is reportedly set for February 6, 2024. Majors’ lawyer, Priya Choudhary, has said that she “still has faith in the process” and is looking forward to “fully clearing his name.” However, soon after the verdict, Marvel and Disney dropped the Creed III actor from their upcoming projects.
So far, the actor has played the role of Kang in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and two seasons of Loki as different variants of Kang the Conqueror. He was also expected to reprise the antagonistic role in future projects, including two Avengers movies, The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars.
As Marvel Studios fired the Majors, fans started anticipating what could be the future of Kang the Conqueror in the franchise. Several discussions have taken place on whether the studio would redevelop the story with a new villain or recast the role. And they have seemed to find the perfect actor for the latter as well.
Fans Believe Will Smith Could Be Great to Replace Jonathan Majors
As the news broke out that Marvel Studios has cut ties with Jonathan Majors, fans have started rooting for Will Smith to take over the role of Kang the Conqueror in the MCU. They took to Twitter to share their opinion, stating, “Will Smith would kill playing an older version of Kang the Conquerer.”
Ngl, I hope this Will Smith as Kang rumor picks up steam. If played right, it would give Marvel their most magnetic actor since RDJ and would wipe the disappointing memory of the previous Kang plotlines with a bigger, badder one.
— Isaac Knox (@imisaacknox) December 19, 2023
I’m for Doom replacing Kang as the next Big Bad the rest of the way.
If not, I think Gugu Mbatha-Raw as a Kang variant would be dope, but what if Marvel went real big.
Hear me out…what if I said Will Smith as Kang? 🤔
— Laurence Holmes (@LaurenceWHolmes) December 19, 2023
Say it quietly, but Will Smith would kill playing an older version of Kang the Conquerer.
— Jordan (@JordanWSmith29) December 18, 2023
Marvel Studios may decide to recast Kang the Conqueror in the MCU ahead of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, replacing Jonathan Majors with a new actor for the remainder of the Multiverse Saga.
Is Will Smith the contender number 1?— Professor CR (@TheProfessorCR) December 19, 2023
petition to have Will Smith take the role of Kang
— b rose (@3randyn) December 18, 2023
Highkey, Will Smith would have made an excellent, A-list Kang but yall would cry out sensitively if he was chosen at this point
— Carl (@CarlLND) December 18, 2023
Others also said that if done right, the Men in Black star could give one of the most epic performances in the MCU since Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man. Many also argued that the makers could move ahead with introducing a new villain, potentially Dr. Doom, however, they also agreed that having Smith as Kang would be even more exciting.
It would not be the first time the studio would recast a character in the multibillion franchise. However, it has not been for legal troubles. Terrence Howard, who played James Rhodes in Iron Man, was replaced by Don Cheadle, along with Hulk’s recasting in The Avengers and most recently, Harrison Ford, taking over late actor William Hurt’s role as Thunderbolt Ross in Captain America: New World Order.
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