Kang the Conqueror may lead a non-linear existence, but the future nevertheless looks shaky for Jonathan Majors, the man behind the mantle of Marvel’s big bad for the Multiverse Saga; a distinction that he may not hold for much longer.
With both Marvel Studios and Majors going dark on the situation surrounding the actor’s assault allegations, the future of his place in the franchise’s plans is nothing short of uncertain, or rightly barren if the allegations turn out to be true.
And while it may not have been the time or the context, MCU fans will do as fans do, and with respect to that, a flurry of fan recasts have since permeated the internet as the Marvel world prepares for life after Majors if he does end up getting the boot.
Here’s everyone that’s been pegged by fans as a possible successor to Majors’ Kang the Conqueror so far.
Denzel Washington
If Marvel ever landed the Hollywood legend that is Denzel Washington as a possible Kang replacement, heads would certainly turn in record time. The storied veteran is no stranger to being in the spotlight nor getting full mileage out of it. On top of that, he more than proved his villain chops over two decades ago as Alonzo Harris in Training Day, as if there was ever any doubt that Washington could get the job done.
John Boyega
A true veteran in the Disney franchise scene, it’s no secret that John Boyega harbors more than enough depth to be a viable Kang replacement, and with his appearances ranging from Star Wars to Pacific Rim: Uprising via Attack the Block and The Woman King, his popularity would go a long way as well.
Although, it’s probably for the best that Boyega wasn’t cast from the get-go; after having been done dirty by Disney once before in Star Wars, the last thing he needed was to fall victim to Kang’s embarrassing defeat in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. From here on out, though? Sign us up!
Ray Fisher
Speaking of having been done dirty, Ray Fisher’s tumultuous dealings with Warner Bros. has surely left him ready and worthy for a new franchise, and what better way to give the middle finger to the old DC Extended Universe than by becoming the new villainous face of the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Indeed, his ill-fated time as Cyborg would have nothing on Kang.
Aldis Hodge
On the topic of DC, we wouldn’t blame Aldis Hodge if he wanted us all to forget about Black Adam, even if his turn as Hawkman was certainly nothing to sneeze at, and if Hodge snagging the keys to the Kangmobile wouldn’t make for a particularly effective cleanse, we don’t know what would.
John David Washington
If Denzel’s out of the question, then perhaps Marvel could look further down the Washington bloodline if they decide to remove Majors from the picture; it would certainly be a good move in Twitter’s book. Additionally, it wouldn’t be difficult to integrate John David Washington into the Multiverse Saga nuances at all; the dizzying time travel shenanigans of Kevin Feige’s mind would be child’s play for the man who starred in Tenet.
Damson Idris
Damson Idris has emerged as a surprise front-runner as the fan-favorite to take over the Kang mantle should it slip from Majors’ grasp, and despite his filmography not being quite as dense as some of the bigger names that have been pitched so far, the Snowfall star’s commanding range and gravitas have won many a Marvel fan over; even if Majors remains with Marvel, perhaps we’ll see Idris’ name pop up more simply by having been so involved in this conversation.
Corey Hawkins
Majors’ previous comparisons of comic book films to Shakespeare might come back to haunt him in a fairly uncanny way if Corey Hawkins ends up succeeding him as Kang. Indeed, the actor played a sharply-crafted Macduff in Joel Coen’s 2021 film The Tragedy of Macbeth, so to see a real Shakespearean villain take over the role of an allegedly Shakespearean villain would be curiously disarming.
Colman Domingo
The cool and collected Colman Domingo would make for a fascinating dark horse of a recast; anyone familiar with the actor’s work knows he’s just as capable of bringing both the calm and the storm that Kang would no doubt require, not to mention the leaps and bounds in progress Marvel would make if it cast an openly gay Black man as one of their most important characters.
Sope Dirisu
Gangs of London star Sope Dirisu is another name that’s been making its rounds in the recast conversation, and while he likely takes the cake as the most sparsely-known fan candidate, the possibility of Dirisu does open up a fun spin on Majors’ Shakespeare comments; after his eponymous role in 2022’s Mr. Malcolm’s List, perhaps there’s a reality somewhere in the multiverse where Dirisu compares comic book films to Jane Austen.
Terrence Howard
Terrence Howard becoming Majors’ replacement as Kang would be the ultimate “screw it” moment for everyone involved; not only has Howard retired from acting as of December of last year (an announcement he made back in September 2019 before ultimately going back on it to star in the sci-fi thriller film Beneath, but we digress), but he himself has already been recast in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, having first portrayed James “Rhodey” Rhodes (aka War Machine) back in Iron Man before getting replaced by Don Cheadle.
We doubt Marvel would go that far for the sake of an in-joke, but the opportunity is there and the people have taken notice.