The Marvel Cinematic Universe is headed for a shakeup. With Marvel firing Jonathan Majors after his guilty verdict, there is a void that was once occupied by the actor set to play the next big bad. And while there are obviously much bigger and more important things involved with Majors’ trial, there is also an interesting decision for Marvel to make for the trajectory of their upcoming films and series. With the next several years of Marvel projects already lined up, they need to find a new antagonist.
The first option for Marvel, and most obvious, would be to simply recast the role of Kang the Conqueror. They wouldn’t even necessarily need to write in any explanation, as the precedent was set when Marvel recast Don Cheadle as James Rhodes for Iron Man 2. The role had previously been played by Terrence Howard in Iron Man. We also saw Mark Ruffalo step into the Hulk/Bruce Banner role in Avengers after Edward Norton’s Incredible Hulk one-and-done. So we could simply see a new actor take over the role with no explanation.
However, it also seems possible Marvel may have already snuck in their in-story explanation for why we may have a new Kang in the future. In the recently wrapped up second season of Loki, we met an interesting new character named Victor Timely (played by Majors). Timely was a variant of He Who Remains and Kang and it seemed he was destined to become the villain. One big moment of the series came when we saw Ravonna Renslayer deliver a package to a young Timely. That package was the TVA Handbook, which would lead him to create the technology necessary to create the TVA.
However, after Loki sacrificed himself to prevent the destruction of the TVA, we saw that same scene with young Victor Timely working in his home. Only, this time, there was no package delivered. If Timely is never given that handbook, he never becomes He Who Remains and the existence of that character is essentially erased. But it could be said that Kang is a Nexus being, making his existence necessary for the existence of the multiverse and someone else could simply step into that role, create the TVA and cause a multiversal war.
If Marvel chooses to go down this road of recasting the role, they’re still left with the question of who steps into the role. Fans have been calling for some time for Star Wars star John Boyega to take over the role. John David Washington (Tenet, The Creator) is another name that comes to mind as a good fit and an emerging star. Honestly, the possibilities are endless, but there is one recasting option that would be very outside the box.
In the comics, Kang has gone by many names. One of which is Nathaniel Richards. Marvel fans will immediately recognize the last name Richards thanks to the leader of the Fantastic Four: Reed Richards. That’s not a coincidence as Nathaniel is Reed’s father. That’s right, Kang is the father of Mr. Fantastic. So, Marvel has a chance to do something very interesting here. Pedro Pascal is rumored to have been cast as Reed for the upcoming Fantastic Four film. Marvel could twist the story a bit and make Kang a variant of Reed, which would mean Pascal would play both roles. It would put one of the biggest stars in Hollywood at the center of Marvel’s Multiverse Saga and make for a very exciting twist.
Of course, Marvel could just change up their plans entirely. While the next Avengers film is (or at last was) titled Avengers: The Kang Dynasty it wouldn’t be unlike Marvel to change a title. The second Loki finale could be used as a way to wrap up the Kang story and Marvel could simply move on to a new villain to carry out the rest of the Multiverse Saga. And with the finale of this saga being Avengers: Secret Wars, there is one clear choice.
Marvel has reportedly already kicked around the idea of pivoting to a new big bad for the rest of this saga and the name at the top of their list is none other than Doctor Doom. This would be a very popular choice as Marvel fans are starved for a live-action version of the character to be done right. However, this move would come with some complications. For one, his introduction would likely not come until the Fantastic Four film, which is currently slated to debut May 2nd, 2025, almost exactly a year ahead of the next Avengers film. That would be a lot of time between now and the introduction of the next big bad, and not a lot of time between that intro and the big teamup film in which he would serve as the primary antagonist.
Another issue would be the first of the two Avengers films. Doom’s role in Secret Wars would make a lot of sense (and we’ll go into more detail on that), but the film prior would likely need to be some kind of completely original story or maybe a combination of multiple stories. Either that, or Marvel could completely scrap an Avengers film and go forward with just one on the schedule. However, given the current state of the box office, that seems less likely.
Of course, when we do reach Secret Wars, this move would make a lot of sense and may have even already been a part of Marvel’s plans. The “Secret Wars” comic arc sees the death of the Marvel Multiverse and our heroes are left in Battleworld, a combination of the only two remaining universes where Doom is god. The story gives us some incredible villain moments, including the one picture above in which Doom faces off with Thanos and promptly removes his spine. Honestly, it would be a disappointment if this movie didn’t feature Doom.
There is however the option of Marvel focusing on another villain entirely for the next Avengers film at least. The Marvel Universe has no shortage of great villains to choose from. Annihilus, Mephisto and Galactus are just a few that come to mind. Molecule Man could also be used as a bridge to Secret Wars as he also has a big role to play in that story. And of course, there are still the mutants waiting in the wings. Whether they decided to put Magneto in the big spot or jump right into the Phoenix saga, there are a lot of options there. My guess though would be that they want to save that option for a potential “Avengers vs. X-Men” film in the next saga.
There are a lot of possible roads for Marvel to travel as they move forward with their Multiverse Saga. For now, we’ll just have to wait and see which one they choose.