After his debut in season 1 of Loki as the Kang variant He Who Remains and as Kang the Conqueror in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Jonathan Majors was charged with domestic violence and assault, raising big questions for the future of the MCU. After the defeat of Thanos in Avengers: Endgame, the MCU is turning to its next big bad, hiring Jonathan Majors to play the time-traveling multiversal villain Kang The Conqueror (and all his variants), but serious charges leveled at the actor now put Disney and Marvel Studios in a tight spot.

The year was off to a big start for Jonathan Majors. Creed III debuted to rave reviews and a strong box office performance, and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania marked his first theatrical outing as Kang the Conqueror, but in March Majors was arrested for misdemeanor charges of assault, strangulation, and harassment after an altercation with his girlfriend. Majors' attorney insists the actor is innocent of the charges, claiming video evidence and witness testimony will exonerate him, putting a big wrinkle in the future development of the Marvel Cinematic Universe until there's a clear resolution to his case.

Jonathan Majors' Kang Is Supposed to be a Big Part of the MCU's Future

After the Infinity Saga built up Josh Brolin's Thanos leading to his defeat in Avengers: Endgame, the MCU was without an overarching antagonist until the introduction of Kang the Conqueror. Kang is a time-traveling supervillain from the future who leverages his superior intellect, advanced technology, and numerous variants to wage war on the multiverse. As teased in the post-credits scene for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, there are numerous iterations of Kang, with dozens of versions played by Jonathan Majors already depicted on-screen, making him far more difficult to recast than Thanos, who was portrayed by a different actor in his initial tease at the end of The Avengers.

Majors' first appearance was in the season 1 finale of Loki, followed by a big role in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, but he had multiple additional appearances slated in the coming years. A post-credits scene from Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania already teased his expanded part in Loki season 2, which is set to release in October, but the next Avengers movie, slated for May 2025 has the character's name in the title: Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. It's not clear how Disney and Marvel Studios will react to the charges against Majors, but his big role in the MCU's future makes the issue impossible to ignore for too long.

Jonathan Majors' Assault Allegations Explained

Majors was initially arrested in New York on March 25th under charges of strangulation, assault, and harassment. The NYPD says the arrest was in response to a 911 call from the victim in which she "informed the police she was assaulted." The statement from the NYPD also say the victim "sustained minor injuries to her head and neck and was removed to an area hospital in stable condition." On April 19th, a report revealed multiple additional alleged victims were working with the Manhattan district attorney’s office on additional abuse allegations.

After the charges, Majors was removed from ad campaigns for the United States Army and the Texas Rangers and his role in the movie The Man in My Basement in addition to being dropped by his management company and PR representation. Majors is presumed innocent until proven guilty, but the fact that he's being dropped by his representation indicates a lack of confidence in his defense. Even if Majors is innocent, the allegations have already had serious consequences on his career. If he's convicted of the charges, it will only get worse, including criminal penalties potentially including up to one year in prison.

What is Jonathan Majors' Legal Defense

Majors' lawyer, Priya Chaudhry, claims he's innocent of all charges and is "provably the victim of an altercation with a woman he knows." She says video evidence and witness testimony will fully exonerate Majors. Additionally, Chaudhry claims the charges are an example of racial discrimination by the New York justice system: “This glaring double standard between the treatment of Jonathan Majors, a Black man weighing 200 lbs, and his accuser, highlights the racial bias that permeates the criminal justice system.”

After Majors' initial arrest, Chaudhry released text messages to TMZ featuring the alleged victim apologizing to Majors for putting him in this position and saying she would "make sure nothing happens about this." The text messages from the victim also show her taking blame for the incident and that she told police "it was my fault for trying to grab your phone." Despite the texts deflecting blame from Majors, they still implicitly acknowledge some sort of violent altercation occurred, which, paired with the victim's documented injuries, will be difficult for Majors to dismiss in court.

Will Marvel Recast Jonathan Majors' Kang?

Majors is just the most recent superhero star to encounter legal trouble and negative press after Ezra Miller, Amber Heard, Anthony Starr, and other comic book actors have faced similar criticisms in recent years. While none of those actors lost their roles due to the allegations against them (with Starr being the only one actually convicted of assault), Marvel previously fired James Gunn from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 over offensive tweets he'd made in the past. Gunn obviously eventually returned to direct Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, but they may not be so quick to pull the trigger with Jonathan Majors.

The allegations against Majors are concerning and should be taken seriously, but Disney and Marvel Studios will likely wait to make any serious decisions about the actor's future until the case has been resolved in a court of law. While the accusations are sure to tarnish his career even if he's ultimately found innocent, Majors wouldn't be the first MCU star in legal trouble. The MCU kicked off by taking a big swing on Iron Man by casting a then-disgraced Robert Downey Jr., and Thanos actor Josh Brolin was also arrested for domestic battery in 2004, although Majors' charges are far more serious.

While Avengers: The Kang Dynasty is still a few years away, Loki season 2 is a far more immediate concern for Marvel Studios. Majors' role as the Kang variant Victor Timely was already teased in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's post-credits scene, but the actor could also portray multiple other Kang variants in the show. Originally expected to release on Disney+ this summer, Marvel Studios has since announced Loki season 2 will premiere Oct. 6. The reason for the delay is unclear, though it may be an attempt to avoid any overlap with Majors' legal proceedings. It's also possible the delay is part of Marvel shifting back its Disney+ shows to space them out more in an attempt to correct the quick release of the MCU Phase 4 shows. Marvel has not yet commented on the reason for Loki season 2's delay to Fall 2023.

How Marvel Is Marketing Movies & Shows Featuring Jonathan Majors

In the lead up to Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's Disney+ release on May 17, Jonathan Majors' Kang was featured only very briefly in the two trailers Marvel posted online. The focus of the trailers was put more on Paul Rudd's Scott Lang, Evangeline Lilly's Hope Van Dyne and Katherine Newton's Cassie Lang, which makes sense given they're the lead heroes. However, Majors' Kang was a focal point of the promotion for the initial theatrical release of the movie, so his lack of presence in the streaming release promo is notable.

Further, at Disney's upfront presentation on May 16, Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige spoke to assembled advertisers and press about upcoming MCU shows, including Loki. He announced Loki season 2's October release date, spoke about the show and screened a trailer. According to Axios reporter Tim Baysinger, Feige didn't mention Majors, nor did the actor's Victor Timely - or other Kang variants - appear in the Loki season 2 trailer. As previously stated, it's expected Majors will have a sizable role in Loki season 2 following the Quantumania post-credits scene, but Marvel may be choosing to downplay his involvement in the marketing of the show.

Neither Marvel nor Feige have commented on Majors' assault arrest as of publication of this article. Previously, a Deadline report published April 17 stated Marvel had not discussed recasting Majors in the MCU at that time.

Marvel Changed MCU Phase 5 & 6 Plan After Jonathan Majors' Kang Performance

According to Joanna Robinson, author of the book MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios, Marvel changed their plans for MCU Phase 5 and 6 after seeing Jonathan Majors' performance as Kang variant He Who Remains in Loki season 1 and Kang the Conqueror in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Further, Robinson said she's heard different stories about what the studio plans to do in regard to Majors' role in the MCU following his arrest. Robinson said:

The Marvel Cinematic Universe's Multiverse Saga has set itself up for a massive finale that will see the MCU's heroes face off against a new army of enemies as well as partake in some Secret Wars. However, to ensure a massive payoff with such important players, the projects that set things up have to be carefully chosen. In this case, release dates are now more important than ever.

In the case of the upcoming Fantastic Four movie, there's still much that's not known. But one thing that's certain is the movie is slated for release a year before Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. Considering Kang was once a Fantastic Four enemy, as well as his variants, that would mean that he may likely face the FF soon. But the perfect variant may not come in the form of the conqueror but instead through one of his variants: specifically, Rama-Tut.

Although Jonathan Majors' Kang the Conqueror officially makes his debut in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, several of his variants from Marvel Comics have also made their ways to the MCU. Originally introduced as He Who Remains in Marvel's Loki, the breaking of the Sacred Timeline has brought forth all these different versions of Kang, the time-traveling despot who has laid waste to entire universes and trillions of lives in his multiversal conquest. However, it's already been proven that Kang's primary rivals aren't heroes like the Avengers, but his very own variants, introduced in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's post-credits scenes.

In both of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's end-credits scenes, countless versions of Kang - originally known as Nathaniel Richards - are revealed. Four in particular bear strong resemblances to variants from Marvel Comics. In Quantumania's mid-credits scene, three of Kang's variants discuss Ant-Man and the Wasp's defeat of Kang the Conqueror, the variant they had exiled to the Quantum Realm. Likewise, Quantumania's post-credits scene features another important Kang variant who'll make his next appearance in Loki season 2. Here are the identities of every known Kang variant featured in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, each of which are portrayed by Jonathan Majors.

Immortus, The Once & Future Kang

Presented as the leader of the trio of Kang variants seen in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's mid-credits scene, Immortus is the bearded Kang who sports a large hat and has blue skin, unlike his other variants. In Marvel Comics, Immortus is the oldest variant of Kang and the man Kang is destined to become. Immortus rules over Limbo, though he actively hinders Kang's schemes after realizing the damage his variants can cause to the time-stream - sometimes even working with the Avengers. The MCU's Immortus seems to have different intentions, as he warns of Earth's Mightiest Heroes learning of the multiverse and the danger that it could pose.

Rama-Tut, The Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh

Avid readers of Marvel Comics will have instantly recognized this Kang variant as the Egyptian Pharaoh Rama-Tut. In the comics, Rama-Tut was an early version of Kang, coming into existence soon after Nathaniel Richards discovered time travel technology as the young conquerer journeyed to Ancient Egypt to rule as a Pharaoh. Rama-Tut encountered the Fantastic Four and the Avengers, and also had interactions with the young En Sabah Nur, a.k.a. the X-Men villain Apocalypse, and the Egyptian god Khonshu, who debuted in Moon Knight. Rama-Tut's cybernetic enhancements in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania create an interesting plot point for his future MCU appearances.

Scarlet Centurion - A More Futuristic Looking Kang

Despite a lack of the color red, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania director Peyton Reed confirmed to Indie Wire that the third Kang variant in the film's mid-credits scene is a version of the Scarlet Centurion. The variant emerged in Marvel Comics after Rama-Tut's ousting from Ancient Egypt, and the character's look is inspired by none other than Doctor Doom, though it's unclear whether this is still the case in the MCU. The Scarlet Centurion is more futuristic in his style and weaponry than his other variants while also wielding hypnotic devices that are used to influence his foes - though he didn't have a long career in the comics.

Council Of Kangs Perfectly Recreated From Marvel Comics

As well as introducing Immortus, Rama-Tut, and the Scarlet Centurion to the MCU, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's mid-credits scene also sees the debut of many more Kang variants, comprising the Council of Kangs. Taken straight from the pages of Marvel Comics' 1988 run of Avengers #292, the practically shot-for-shot adaptation of the Council of Kangs sees many interesting and unique variants introduced into live-action. These variants of Kang enter their grand amphitheater using the "time platform" technologically used by John Krasinski's Reed Richards in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, nodding to their familial connection.

Though many of these variants share the more human appearance of Kang the Conqueror, others have more unique physiques. One dons a smart suit, perhaps hinting at Mr. Gryphon of Qeng Enterprises - first teased in Loki season 1. Others sport regal dress or differing armors, while one wears the same costume as Loki's He Who Remains, though this version is shown with dreadlocks. There are also curiously two variants who look extraterrestrial, one with green skin akin to the MCU's Skrulls and one who has pale blue skin, almost resembling a lizard. Any number of these variants could be developed in future MCU projects.

Victor Timely Will Encounter Loki and Agent Mobius

After the epic introduction of many Kang variants in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's mid-credits scene, the film's post-credits scene debuts one more: Victor Timely. The scene finds Tom Hiddleston's Loki and Owen Wilson's Mobius M. Mobius in the early 20th Century, acting as a tease for Loki season 2 - set for release on October 6, 2023. There, the pair attend a demonstration by Victor Timely, an important Kang variant who established the town of Timely, Wisconsin, and developed huge advances in human technology and robotics. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania completely changed the power structure of the MCU by introducing so many significant variants of Kang the Conqueror.

As the first film in the MCU's Phase 5, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania marked an important step forward in the Multiverse Saga, and its box office needed to reflect this. Setting up Kang the Conqueror in the lead up to Phase 6's Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania was a much bigger story than simply Scott Lang and Hope van Dyne's next adventure. In a departure from Peyton Reed's previous Ant-Man films, Quantumania was much more connected to the MCU's overarching narrative, similar to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Spider-Man: No Way Home.

With Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Marvel Studios continues their pattern of expanding the scope and scale of third films in MCU trilogies. Captain America: Civil War, Thor: Ragnarok, and the more recent Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 are prime examples of this. This had the potentially adverse effect of raising expectations for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's box office and critical response, however, which ultimately proved to be detrimental, as the film was met with criticism. Quantumania was perhaps the most ambitious of the MCU's Ant-Man flicks - and by far the most expensive in the Paul Rudd-led franchise.

Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania's Budget Was Around $200 Million

Peyton Reed's third installment in the MCU's Ant-Man franchise reportedly cost Disney around $193 million - concerning pre-production and filming - a large increase on the $130-$169 million budget for 2015's Ant-Man and similar figures for 2018's Ant-Man and the Wasp. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's budget increase was partly due to the greater reliance on visual effects and CGI in the Phase 5 film, as most of the action takes place in the MCU Quantum Realm - lending to the film's title. Phase 4's similarly large-scale MCU projects, including Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Spider-Man: No Way Home, also racked up a $200 million budget.

The massive budget for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania would have been a risk for Disney, making it difficult for the film to turn a respectable profit. However, when compared to the likes of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame's $325-$400 million budgets, $200 million is comparatively small. A budget this size was normally only reserved for the MCU's crossover films, but Phase 4 saw an increase in the budgets for its solo projects, with Thor: Love & Thunder, Eternals, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever all seeing a budget surpassing $200 million. In this sense, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's huge budget actually makes sense.

How Much Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania Made At The Box Office

In total, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania ended up grossing a total of $475.8 million globally, with $214.2 million in the United States and Canada and $261.6 million in other territories. Prior to the film's release, early projections noted that Quantumania could gross over $100 million domestically and $280 million globally in its opening weekend, though the film went on to gross roughly $120 million over the four-day period - making it the best opening weekend of the MCU's Ant-Man franchise. However, its second week saw a 69% drop, down to $32 million in the United States, and a 61% drop the week after, bringing in only $12.4 million.

In comparison, 2015's Ant-Man grossed a total of $519.3 million over its theatrical run, and 2018's Ant-Man and the Wasp brought in $622.7 million, both of which were produced on much smaller budgets. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's quick decline at the box office earned the film the title of largest second-week drop-off for any project in the MCU, despite having the strongest opening weekend of any Ant-Man film and the third-best opening weekend for a February release, behind 2018's Black Panther and 2016's Deadpool. Unfortunately, these poor figures are only part of the story of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's tenuous success.

Was Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania A Box Office Bomb?

Usually, theaters retain around 50% of the profits collected during any film's theatrical run, meaning Disney received around $235 million dollars for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. This means that, technically, the Phase 5 film did make a profit, though a profit of only around $30 million is below initial expectations - especially when further marketing and promotional costs are considered. While Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania perhaps can't be considered an honest-to-goodness box office bomb - it didn't make a loss - the film certainly didn't reach the numbers done by the most successful MCU projects.

Aside from Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's box office returns, the film is one of Marvel Studios' most unsuccessful projects, critically and commercially. While the film's performances, music, and visual effects were praised, the narrative, screenplay, and overt departure from previous Ant-Man installments were scrutinized. While the MCU's Phase 5 seems to be more hopeful following the success of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's poor box office returns and mixed critical response probably wasn't what Marvel Studios was expecting for their debut of Phase 5.

Early Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania concept art just surfaced online that depicts a decidedly more badass take on the Marvel Cinematic Universe's supporting villain, MODOK.

Concept artist Aleksi Briclot shared his "twisted and fucked up" MODOK design on Instagram. It differs from MODOK's aesthetic in the finished film in several ways, most notably by encasing the baddie's oversized head in an eerie, semi-transparent dome. In the accompanying image caption, Briclot stated that he tried to stay true to how MODOK is portrayed in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's comic book source material, while also "pushing [this design] further." Briclot also noted that part of the challenge when conceptualizing the MCU's MODOK was coming up with ways to obscure his connection to original Ant-Man antagonist Darren Cross.

Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania's producer recently clarified how other Variants were made aware of Kang the Conqueror's death in the movie.

Jonathan Majors' Kang the Conqueror made his MCU debut in Marvel Studios' most recent film, Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania.

It has been teased in the past that the Conqueror will be an extremely important and powerful character in the franchise's future, with the next Avengers film even being named The Kang Dynasty.

However, to the surprise of many fans, Kang was supposedly killed at the end of Quantumania. In an arguably even bigger surprise, hundreds of his variants showed up in the post-credits scene when they learned of the Conqueror's death.

How the Kang Variants Knew of the Conqueror's Death

Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania producer and Vice President of Production & Development at Marvel Studios Stephen Broussard recently joined the D23: Inside Disney podcast to discuss the recent MCU film.

Broussard was specifically asked about Kang the Conqueror's death at the end of the film and how the Council of Kang Variants in the first post-credits scene knew he died.

The producer answered the question simply, saying that they were aware of his death because of "heightened technology." He also explained that they "keep tabs on one another" anyway due to the "rivalry between" them:

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania will feature a classic Guardians of the Galaxy weapon, if a newly released still is anything to go by.

The still comes courtesy of the latest issue of Empire magazine. It shows Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) wielding what looks like a quad blaster, the same type of gun favored by Guardians of the Galaxy team leader Star-Lord throughout his various Marvel Cinematic Universe appearances. Close inspection of the still suggests that Pym's quad-blaster is a different model from Star-Lord's, though. Unlike Star-Lord's quad-blaster, Pym's gun has a smaller top barrel and bigger bottom barrel, and it lacks any visible triggers or trigger guards.

It's unclear where Pym procured his quad-blaster, however, it's possible he picked it up in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's Quantum Realm setting. The former Ant-Man will find himself in the microscopic dimension along with his successor Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), wife Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer), daughter Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly), and Scott's daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton). Despite the dangers this journey poses to the quintet, screenwriter Jeff Loveness talked up the Quantum Realm's more positive qualities in a recent interview. "It's a fun place," Loveness said. "It's a limitless place of creation and diversity and alien life. It's Jodorowsky's Dune within Marvel."

Ant-Man 3 Screenwriter On Pitching the Movie

In the same interview, Loveness recalled the original brainstorming session for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The scribe noted that this meeting yielded the basic pitch for the sequel, which was "What if Ant-Man is accidentally in an Avengers movie by himself?" This idea resonated with director Peyton Reed, who previously revealed that he lobbied Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige to make the third Ant-Man installment more high-stakes than its predecessors. "For this third one, I said, 'I don't want to be the palate cleanser anymore. I want to be the big Avengers movie,'" Reed said.

Reed ultimately got his wish, and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania will launch Phase Five of the MCU. The film will also introduce the shared universe's new overarching antagonist, Kang the Conqueror. Kang actor Jonathan Majors recently hyped the supervillain's arrival, describing him as unlike any of the MCU baddies that came before him. "Kang adds tonal diversity, real conflict and real friction," Majors said. "You're being introduced to a new vibration in the MCU. There's conflict -- not just mano-a-mano, not just hero and villain, but 'your way of life' and 'my way of life.'"

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania arrives in theaters on Feb. 17, 2023.

Source: Empire

UPDATED TIMING: After weeks of waiting, fans finally have a good idea of when exactly the next Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania trailer will debut tonight during the college football National Championship game. 

Ant-Man 3 is mere weeks away, and the super-powered MCU marketing machine going full steam ahead as the Paul Rudd-led sequel looks to open up the Quantum Realm for the world to see. 

After seeing the film's first official trailer in late October 2022, another look at the blockbuster has been in the cards for a while now. A recent announcement from Disney revealed that a second look at the movie would come during the National College Football Championship game on Monday, January 9, but no specific time was given for its arrival.

Now, however, it seems that those eager to see Quantumania's latest should know when to tune in. 

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania Trailer Time

According to a recent Patreon post by known insider Daniel Richtman, who has a strong track record with trailer release scoops, the next Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania trailer will debut after the third quarter of Monday night's National Championship Game on ESPN. 

So then when exactly will Ant-Man 3's trailer debut? Since the game starts at 7:30 pm ET and will run approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes in total (the average game length of a modern-day college football bowl game), the third quarter is likely to start around 9:30 pm ET and end at roughly 10:15 pm ET. 

As such, it's reasonable for fans to expect Quantumania's trailer to debut between 10:00 pm ET and 11:00 pm ET on Monday night if, in fact, it plays at the end of the third quarter. 

UPDATE: The third quarter of the National Championship has begun. Based on the lengths of the previous quarters of this game, we can expect the Ant-Man 3 trailer to debut at approximately 10:30 pm ET.

Marvel source BSL on Twitter has also indicated that the trailer will debut at 10:30 EST.

Marvel also has no control over the timing of this trailer release. When it comes to advertising during live sports, clients buy a slot within the game, not a specific time. This means - if Richtman's report is true - the trailer will debut at the close of 3rd quarter and not any time sooner. 

From there, the sneak peek will surely be available to watch online as is the case with nearly every other Marvel Studios trailer shown off in this way. 

For now, all fans can do is wait, as Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is set to hit theaters on February 17.