Marvel Boss Kevin Feige Addresses Kang Recasting Amid Replacement Reports

Ahead of the studio’s big return to San Diego ComicCon and following reports of a major Kang recast, Marvel Boss Kevin Feige has spoken out on the issue.

Kang the Conqueror emerged as a major villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with significant implications for the storyline.

First introduced as He Who Remains in the season finale of Michael Waldron’s Loki, this variant of Kang is revealed as the creator and overseer of the Time Variance Authority (TVA), maintaining the Sacred Timeline to prevent a Multiversal war among his Variants.

The death of He Who Remains at the hands of Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino), a Loki variant, unleashes the Multiverse, setting the stage for the more dangerous Kang the Conqueror to emerge.

In the poorly-received Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania (2023), Kang the Conqueror is the main antagonist. This Variant, exiled to the Quantum Realm, seeks to escape and conquer the Multiverse. He encounters Scott Lang (Ant-Man), Hope van Dyne (The Wasp), and their allies, who ultimately thwart his plans.

Despite their victory, the encounter solidifies Kang as a formidable threat and establishes his central role in the MCU’s future, particularly as themes of the Multiverse and time travel become more prominent.

Following his appearance in Loki, subsequent starring role as Ant-Man and the Wasp’s foe in Peyton Reed’s Ant-Man threequel, and confirmation that the fifth Avengers movie was to be subtitled The Kang Dynasty, Kang was being set up to be the new Thanos-level threat of the MCU.

However, all that changed after Majors was arrested in New York City in March 2023.

The actor was later found guilty of assault in December 2023 after his attorney, Priya Chaudhry, failed to win his case. This led to his immediate departure from the role. This legal issue has forced Marvel to reconsider its plans for the character, impacting the broader storyline that had been developing around Kang.

Reports suggest that Marvel Studios is exploring different options, including recasting Kang or shifting focus to another villain entirely.

While Majors’ firing did impact the greater MCU, insiders at Marvel Studios said that executives were already referring to Avengers: The Kang Dynasty as simply Avengers 5 behind the scenes, as reported by THR. Supposedly, they were already considering other options following the dismal box office performance of Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania.

A recent report from entertainment scooper Daniel Richtman (DanielRPK) shared that Marvel had, in fact, found its Kang replacement, but in what form is unclear.

Now, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige–who recently received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame–has spoken about the Kang situation during the beginning of San Diego ComicCon 2024.

Speaking to Screen Rant ahead of Marvel’s major return to Hall H on Saturday, July 27, Feige was asked about the future of Kang the Conqueror.

“I’ve done a number of interviews in the last couple of days, and you’re the first person to [ask],” Feige said in response. “I give you credit for just outright asking the question, and I’ll give myself credit for trying to invade it and avoid it entirely.”

While the Marvel executive bypassed the question here, things will likely be revealed during the major SDCC panel on Saturday. The last time Marvel presented in Hall H, the Multiverse Saga was unveiled, with projects like Fantastic Four, Captain America: New World Order and Thunderbolts all announced for the big screen.

In the last two years, though, Jonathan Majors has just been one of the blows Marvel Studios has taken. One only needs to look at the above three movies to understand how much has changed in the last two years.

Fantastic Four, now The Fantastic Four (2025), will arrive in 2025, while the latter two have both been renamed–Captain America: New World Order has been renamed Captain America: Brave New World (2025) and Thunderbolts has become Thunderbolts* (2025).

As for the MCU’s Blade reboot, well, it may never arrive.

Distribution, branding, and character focus have also been altered. The Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger has limited the number of movies and TV shows released yearly, while Marvel’s Brad Winderbaum confirmed that a new development system is in place at the studio.

Back to Kang, though. This should be a point of discussion during the ComicCon weekend, especially focusing on how Marvel intends to progress with the Multiverse Saga with or without Kang and, if it is with, who will play the antagonist.

Related: Marvel Cuts MCU’s ‘Captain America 4,’ Reveals Instant Replacement

A controversial and widely debunked press release claimed that actor Keenan Clarke would replace Majors as Kang. This report was dismissed due to its lack of credibility and Clarke’s relative obscurity in the acting world. The uncertainty surrounding these reports has left fans and industry insiders speculating about the character’s future.

Amidst these changes, various actors have been rumored as potential replacements for Kang, with Colman Domingo from Fear The Walking Dead being a notable candidate.

Additionally, there is speculation that Marvel might introduce a different villain, such as Doctor Doom, to take over the primary antagonist role in upcoming MCU films. This would mark a significant shift in the narrative direction of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga.

Doctor Doom’s arrival in the MCU is expected ahead of Avengers 5 (2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027), with Robert Downey Jr.’s name being floated as a possibility for the role. Of course, Downey Jr. portrayed Tony Stark/Iron Man for over a decade before being killed in Avengers: Endgame (2019).

The future of Kang the Conqueror in the MCU remains uncertain as Marvel navigates the fallout from Majors’ legal troubles and its own worrying run of box office misfires. The studio is weighing its options, which could include a new actor taking on the role of Kang or a complete pivot to another villain. These decisions will significantly impact the trajectory of the MCU’s upcoming Phase Five and Phase Six.

Presently, things are looking brighter for Marvel Studios as Ryan Reynolds returns as Deadpool in the highly-awaited Deadpool & Wolverine (2024). Starring alongside Hugh Jackman’s Logan/Wolverine, Reynolds reprises his beloved Wade Wilson role, with both actors making their MCU debut in the film.

Related: Marvel’s Kevin Feige All but Confirms the Worst: MCU Being Forced To Discard 2025 Movie Amid ‘Avengers’ Change

The first R-rated effort for Marvel Studios, Deadpool & Wolverine, is on track to be the biggest movie of the year, with a projected global opening weekend tally coming in over $300 million. For context, Disney Pixar’s Inside Out 2 opened to just shy of $300 million last month and eventually became the highest-grossing animated movie of all time, surpassing Frozen II (2019).

Deadpool & Wolverine is out now.

What do you think is going to happen with Kang in the MCU? Let us know in the comments down below!