Summary:
- Following his arrest and sentencing in 2023, Jonathan Majors was removed from all future Marvel projects in which he portrayed Kang.
- Originally slated to be the main antagonist in both Avengers 5 and Avengers: Secret Wars, his firing left the status of these projects uncertain.
- However, a recent update suggests that Marvel is still considering Kang as one of the villains in Avengers 5.
As the MCU expands to include the X-Men and the Fantastic Four, one of its most anticipated updates revolves around a major upcoming movie. The culmination of the ‘Multiverse Saga‘ is on the horizon, yet there’s been little news about Avengers 5, particularly since actor Jonathan Majors, who played the main villain Kang, was removed from the role due to legal issues.
However, a prominent insider has recently shared some significant updates about the film. It appears that Avengers 5 will focus on the ‘New Avengers,’ potentially excluding original members like Thor and Hawkeye. Despite Majors’ departure, Kang is still expected to play a role and may even be one of two villains in the story.
Latest Updates on Avengers 5 Feature Jonathan Majors’ Kang
One of the most anticipated updates to the MCU, while it starts to expand with the likes of X-Men and Fantastic Four, revolves around a major upcoming movie.
The ‘Multiverse Saga’ will find its completion, but little has been the tidings regarding Avengers 5, most notably after Jonathan Majors, the actor playing the main villain, Kang, was taken off due to legal issues. However, a prominent insider recently revealed some significant updates about the film.
It now seems that the New Avengers will be the focal point of the upcoming film, with the old members such as Thor and Hawkeye not part of it. Kang, despite Majors’ exit, is likely to have some part to play; he may be one of the two villains in the story.
After the huge success of Avengers: Endgame, the MCU delved even deeper into the multiverse in Phases 4 and 5, aiming to work up to another Avengers project in the mold of the ‘Infinity Saga.
But with Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans having long retired from the franchise, a new lineup had to be assembled.
The movie was tentatively titled ‘Avengers: Kang Dynasty’ and ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ and detailed at San Diego Comic-Con in 2022, according to Variety, as simply ‘Avengers 5’.
The main villain in this would have been Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror, yet he had then been arrested and subsequently — following a conviction in 2023 — been recast and removed from the role and all properties stemming from it, according to THR.
🚨Avengers 5 #HolyFieldScoops
-Steven Caple Jr has been in the mix to Direct the project
-The US government is going to be heavily involved
-Avengers 5 will feature two different type of villains , one that’s ground base/street level and Kang who’s multiversal
-New Avengers… pic.twitter.com/eJVToIKHki
— HolyField News (@HolyfieldM5) May 15, 2024
Another popular insider, Holyfield, revealed some more information about the upcoming Avengers 5. To start with, the movie is still on course with the initial plan to feature Kang as one of its villains but with a twist: Kang gets recast.
Kang is set to be the multiversal threat while other villains will operate in a more grounded manner. Other things include the new updates revealing the main elements of the movie. This includes a new Avengers team, which will be formed, and the director.
The original plan saw Kang appear as the main antagonist in the hands of Jonathan Majors. His storyline had been teased in Loki, a Disney Plus series, and the upcoming movie, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
In all their wisdom, though, Majors stumbled upon some serious legal issues that made this plan shatter. The Kang storyline is going to extend to Avengers: Secret Wars, which is hinted at X.
MCU’s Avengers 5 Ditches the ‘Big Three’, Moving Thor Further Away
Marvel appeared to consider bringing back the original Avengers—Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and Black Widow—to address the absence of Jonathan Majors. However, they ultimately opted against this approach, as reported by Variety.
According to Holyfield, Avengers 5 will steer clear of the ‘Big Three’ concept. The new team is said to feature Captain America, Hulk, Falcon, and Black Panther, with the assembling process beginning in Captain America: Brave New World.
This decision distances Thor from the film, despite his recent solo success in Thor: Love and Thunder. While commercially successful, the film faced criticism for its direction and writing, leading many to question its fit within the post-Endgame MCU landscape.
Marvel may thus be wise to explore other characters for Avengers 5. Avengers 5 is slated for release on May 1, 2026.
