11 Actors Who Could Replace Jonathan Majors as Kang in the MCU

Update 12/18/23: Originally published on November 9, 2023, the introduction of this article has been updated to reflect the outcome of the Jonathan Majors trial as well as the Walt Disney Company’s actions afterward. The rest of the article remains the same.

After being found guilty of assault and harassment, the time has come for Marvel Studios to pivot and recast Kang the Conqueror. Here are some actors who could potentially replace Jonathan Majors.

Related: Marvel Goes Too Far, No Longer Needs Kang the Conqueror

Marvel Studios has been a global box office leader for some time now. However, recent years have proven more difficult for the cinematic giant. While some films have proven to be a success, like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023), other movies and series have failed to meet expectations, like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023) and Secret Invasion (2023).

They also face another issue: actor Jonathan Majors. The critically acclaimed star of Lovecraft Country (2020), Devotion (2022), and Creed III (2023), Majors was set to lead the Marvel Cinematic Universe as its newest Thanos-level threat for the Multiverse Saga. However, recent controversies have shifted the public’s perception of the actor.

In March 2023, Majors was arrested for assault charges in New York City by his then-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari. Since then, he has lost representation, a commercial deal with the United States Army, and his film Magazine Dreams (2023) has been dropped from Disney’s release schedule. There have also been multiple reports from previous relationships of abusive behavior as well as strange tactics from his legal team, led by Priya Chaudhry.

On December 18, Majors was found guilty of one count of assault and one count of harassment while being acquitted on two other charges. In response, a representative from Marvel Studios and Disney released a statement within two hours of the verdict, saying that the studio will be moving forward without the actor, leaving a massive Kang-shaped hole in the current Marvel Cinematic Universe that Kevin Feige needs to fill.

How Can Marvel Solve Its Kang Problem?

There are a few different options Marvel can run with to solve this dilemma. They could scrap the entire story and start over in a new “universe,” but that would mark years of wasted time.

They could shift from Kang the Conqueror to another villain, like Doctor Doom. But that would mean the track laid for Avengers: The Kang Dynasty (2025) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2026) were all wasted. They could also stick with Majors and hope for the best, but that could be a PR nightmare.

Related: Amid Rumors of Being Replaced, Kang “Here To Stay,” According to Marvel Insider

Then there’s the final and most likely option: recast Jonathan Majors. While this has the potential to be weird for some audiences, it would be the easiest transition. On top of that, Marvel has done this before with Mark Ruffalo as the Incredible Hulk and Don Cheadle as War Machine.

The fact of the matter is that plenty of actors are talented enough to handle the role of Kang the Conqueror. So, let’s take a look at some actors who could replace Jonathan Majors as Kang in the MCU.

Potential Kang Replacements

In order to play the iconic villain, an actor would need a few traits. For one, they’d have to show the ability to play a variety of roles since Kang is famous for his different variants.

Majors has already played three different variants of Kang: The One Who Remains in Loki (2022-present) season one, Kang the Conqueror in Quantumania, and Victor Timely in Loki season two. And that’s not even counting the numerous versions we saw in the after-credits sequence of Quantumania.

Related: Marvel Set To Wipe Out Two Years of Content To Save the Franchise

The actor would also have to bring a level of intensity to the character. Majors was excellent at making Kang feel sympathetic, powerful, and grandiose, even if he could be defeated by ants. On top of that, he needs to seem like the most intelligent guy in the room, which is saying something when you look at some of the heroes in the MCU.

Finally, they also need to have a physically imposing presence, or at the very least, make it seem like they can be imposing. With those parameters in mind, here are some actors who could easily fill these roles in no particular order.

Idris Elba

One actor who has been named time and time again as an excellent replacement for Majors is Idris Elba. While a bit older than Majors, he still has an imposing presence and has experience as an action star, most notably in films like James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad (2021), Beast (2022), and Fast & Furious: Hobbs and Shaw (2019).

However, there are a few things standing in the way of Elba taking on the role of Kang. For one, he’s already recognized as Idris Elba. It could be difficult to separate him from his public persona. On top of that, he already plays a character in the MCU: Heimdall. While Kang has multiple variants, and it could be justified (more on that later), it’s harder to do with a literal god. Still, it cannot be denied that Idris Elba would make an excellent Kang.

Ray Fisher

Ray Fisher’s debut performance was as Victor Stone/Cyborg in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016). Since then, he has reprised the role twice, including Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021). Since then, he has wowed audiences with roles in True Detective (2014-present) and The Piano Lesson (2022) on Broadway.

Truly, one of the most underappreciated parts of the DC Extended Universe was Fisher’s portrayal of Cyborg. Cyborg was an awesome character, and Fisher truly made you sympathize with the human side of the hero. That kind of energy would be necessary to make Kang feel like a full-fledged character.

David Oyelowo

An underappreciated and talented actor, David Oyelowo has had a truly impressive career. After graduating from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, Oyelowo would go on to star in productions with the Royal Shakespeare Company as well as numerous critically acclaimed films, like Middle of Nowhere (2012), The Butler (2013), and Selma (2014), where his performance as Martin Luther King Jr. earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.

That being said, Oyelowo has done more than theater and prestige films. He has also been in the Peter Rabbit series alongside James Corden, Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011), and The Cloverfield Paradox (2018). Needless to say, Oyelowo’s dramatic chops would be welcome in a Marvel film.

N. T. Rama Rao Jr.

Related: Upcoming ‘Avengers’ Movie Will Reboot the Entire MCU Universe

This may be the most off-the-wall choice on this list, but it is definitely a good one. N. T. Rama Rao Jr. (also known as Jr. N.T.R. or Tarak) has been acting primarily in Telugu Cinema in India since he was seven. Since then, he has starred in multiple iconic action films, most recently in the international hit RRR (2022).

Rao Jr. was a standout in the film, partially because his character always had a variety of emotions. We saw him be sad, happy, angry, and vengeful. More than anything, he had a terrifying presence when his character was in combat that you couldn’t look away from. And that’s saying something when Ray Stevenson is on the screen. While a strange choice, he would be an excellent choice to take on Kang.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II would be a great option for Kang because he’s already proven he can be a compelling villain, having played Black Manta in Aquaman (2018) and the upcoming Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023). He’s also played Dr. Manhattan in the HBO series The Watchmen (2018). He’s basically comic book royalty at this point. Add on that he’s the new Candyman (2022), and you have one of the best villain actors of his generation.

However, he is also set to play the titular Wonder Man in the upcoming Disney+ series for Marvel. If Kevin Feige actually goes through with canceling certain projects and Wonder Man (TBA) makes the list, Andul-Mateen would be perfect for Kang.

Corey Hawkins

Fun fact: Corey Hawkins has already been in a Marvel Studios film. He was a Navy OP in Iron Man 3 (2013). That being said, he should have been featured a lot more because he is fantastic. While he has starred in more action-centric projects, like The Walking Dead (2010-2022) and Voyage of the Demeter (2023), Hawkins is an incredibly accomplished actor with two Tony Award nominations for Best Actor.

On top of that, he starred as Tybalt in a filmed version of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet (2014) and is one of the leads in the upcoming musical film The Color Purple (2023). Corey Hawkins can bring the range and intensity needed for a character like Kang.

John Boyega

If you’ve been anywhere on this site, you know who John Boyega is. Most famous for his role as Finn in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, Boyega has become recognized as one of the most talented actors of his generation. However, his career goes far beyond a galaxy far, far away.

John Boyega got his start in the indie action classic Attack the Block (2011). Since then, he has gone on to star in numerous movies and series outside of Star Wars, including Pacific Rim Uprising (2018), They Cloned Tyrone (2023), and Small Axe (2020), which earned him a Golden Globe award. With his prestigious career and experience in a large franchise, Boyega could easily be an asset for Marvel Studios.

Viola Davis

Related: 9 Perfect Fan Castings for James Gunn’s DCU

Given her performances as Amanda Waller in the DC Universe, Dr. Volumina Gaul in the upcoming Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023), and General Nanisca in The Woman King (2022), there’s no doubt that Davis could make an effective villain in the MCU.

While many people would complain online and potentially have difficulty accepting a woman taking over for Kang, there’s no doubt that Davis could bring gravitas to the character. In fact, there are plenty of women who would make an awesome Kang, including Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Cynthia Erivo. Still, if you’re going to go this route, you have to go all the way.

Aldis Hodge

Although he has been around for a while, Aldis Hodge has never received his full due. The talented actor has been featured as a soldier or muscle of some kind since his debut in Die Hard With a Vengeance (1995). However, he has also shown his incredible versatility in projects like Straight Outta Compton (2015), Hidden Figures (2016), and One Night in Miami… (2020).

Aldis Hodge also has a history in comic book projects, having voiced Jon Stewart in Green Lantern: Beware My Power (2022) and starred as Hawkman in Black Adam (2022). The fact that he stood out the most in a film centered on Dwayne Johnson is incredibly impressive.

Chukwudi Iwuji

A favorite of James Gunn, Chukwudi Iwuji has already shown how talented and versatile he is. Not only has he appeared in numerous plays with the Royal Shakespeare Company in London, UK, but he was one of the best parts of the HBO DC series Peacemaker (2022-present), and that’s saying something.

While Iwuji has already been featured as The High Evolutionary in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023), it was an incredible performance that has led to him being recognized as one of the best villains in the entire MCU. And since he isn’t a god, it would be easy to justify this character as just another Kang variant.

Damson Idris

Related: Marvel Studios Admits Mistake in Fan-Favorite Villain’s Debut

This list starts with an Idris and ends with an Idris. Damson Idris is a talented actor from the United Kingdom who graduated alongside John Boyega, Letitia Wright, and Malachi Kirby. While he only has a few credits to his name, he has already starred in a few action projects and led the critically acclaimed FX series Snowfall (2017-2023), which just ended. That’s right, his schedule is completely open.

Yes, his career has only just begun, but Damson Idris has shown an impressive amount of range with his performances and has been a favorite to star in some kind of superhero project for some time now. And what better way to make your debut than by playing one of the most dangerous villains the Marvel Universe has ever seen?

Who do you think could take on the role of Kang the Conqueror? 

This post is originally appeared on Inside the Magic.