Marvel fans spent years preparing for the rise of Kang the Conqueror.
From his first appearance in Loki (2021) through his expanded role in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023), Jonathan Majors looked destined to become the MCU's next franchise-defining villain. Marvel Studios built an entire Avengers film around the character and appeared ready to make Kang the driving force behind the Multiverse Saga.
Fast forward to 2026, and the situation looks entirely different.
A recent Marvel development has once again demonstrated just how thoroughly Disney has moved on from the actor.
The End of Marvel's Original Plan
For several years, Marvel's strategy seemed clear.
Kang would follow Thanos as the next major threat. Different variants would emerge across timelines and realities before eventually colliding in a massive Avengers event.
The groundwork was already in place.
Then everything changed.
After Majors' 2023 conviction, Disney cut ties with the actor, creating a massive challenge for Marvel Studios. The company suddenly found itself without the performer at the center of one of its most important storylines.
Rather than recast Kang immediately, Marvel chose a different approach.
The studio shifted focus away from the character altogether.
Doctor Doom Replaced Kang
The biggest signal arrived when Avengers: The Kang Dynasty disappeared from Marvel's release plans.
In its place came Avengers: Doomsday.
The change wasn't simply cosmetic. It represented a complete creative shift. Marvel redirected its attention toward Doctor Doom and eventually revealed Robert Downey Jr.'s involvement in the role.
Since then, Marvel has rarely discussed Kang's future.
The Council of Kangs introduced in Quantumania remains unresolved, and no major live-action projects have moved forward with the character at the center.
For many fans, that alone suggested Disney had moved on.
Marvel Is Already Using Another Actor
Now, further evidence has emerged.
Marvel Animation's upcoming Season 2 of X-Men '97 will feature Rama-Tut, one of the most recognizable Kang variants from Marvel Comics.
The appearance is notable for more than just the character's return.
Jonathan Majors is not expected to portray the role.
Instead, Marvel appears to have embraced a different performer for the variant, creating one of the first clear examples of a Kang-related character continuing without the actor who originally brought the villain to life.
While the appearance takes place in animation rather than the live-action MCU, it reinforces a larger trend that has become impossible to ignore.
Marvel is willing to move forward without Jonathan Majors.
Disney's Position Appears Final
The past two and a half years have revealed a great deal about Marvel's priorities.
The studio could have announced a direct recast. It could have reworked Kang into a new form. Instead, Marvel pivoted toward new villains, new storylines, and a completely different future.
At the same time, Jonathan Majors has begun rebuilding his career through smaller film projects outside Disney. Although he continues to secure acting opportunities, none suggest a reunion with Marvel is under consideration.
For a franchise that rarely closes doors completely, Marvel's approach has been unusually clear.
Every major decision since late 2023 has pointed in the same direction.
The MCU may still contain remnants of Kang's story, but Jonathan Majors' role in that story appears finished. Whether Marvel eventually revisits Kang in a larger way remains to be seen, but if recent developments are any indication, Disney has no intention of bringing the former MCU actor back along with him.
