Summary

Jonathan Majors’ departure from the Marvel Cinematic Universe has caused a shift in the theatrical slate to 2025. Colman Domingo is rumored to be a front-runner to take over the role of Kang the Conqueror in future MCU movies. The Multiverse Saga’s future is uncertain, but Marvel Studios will ultimately decide how the franchise will continue.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has a year to get its house in order following the departure of Jonathan Majors from the franchise, with most of its theatrical slate being shifted to 2025. In the role of Kang the Conqueror, Majors was set to be the cornerstone of the Multiverse Saga until he was recently convicted of assault and harassment and immediately fired by Marvel Studios. Recently, many names have been thrown in the ring as to who could possibly take over the role in future MCU movies, and one name that seems to be top of the pile is Colman Domingo.

Although there has been no confirmation from Marvel Studios one way or the other whether Kang will return in the future with a new face, internet scooper Daniel Richtman aka DanielRPK has suggested that Domingo has appeared as a front-runner in a race to recast the role. This may be a long way from a sure thing, and the world of insider scoops is littered with as many misses as hits, but fans, and more, have already made their voices heard on social media in relation to this particular rumor.

Domingo certainly has the credentials to take over the multi-faced role of Kang, having made memorable appearances in shows including Fear the Walking Dead and Euphoria, the latter of which earned him an Emmy. In addition to this, the actor is also in contention for Oscar glory this year for his role in Rustin. While the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been light on Academy Awards itself, there have been plenty of stars with Oscars to their name that have appeared in the franchise, including Anthony Hopkins, Jeff Bridges, Natalie Portman and Gwyneth Paltrow. For many reasons, 2024 could be an interesting year for Domingo if the rumors turn out to be true.

Related: Colman Domingo’s 10 Greatest Movie and TV Performances

Can the Multiverse Saga Continue Without Kang?

From 2008 to 2019, Marvel Studios could do no wrong, and Lady Luck was on the side of the franchise when it came to the vast list of actors appearing in the franchise. Although the world of comic books and superhero movies mourned the loss of Stan Lee prior to the arrival of Avengers: Endgame, the Infinity Saga managed to complete its story with an almost faultless run of movies.

The Multiverse Saga has not been quite as lucky. As the story began picking up the threads of the multiverse, introducing Kang the Conqueror through the Disney+ series Loki and the Phase 5 opener of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Jonathan Majors’ legal issues put the entire franchise in jeopardy. As a courtroom jury delivered their verdict on Majors’ case, the internet began to speculate on exactly where this leaves the current Marvel story.

From rumors that Kang would be replaced with another villain, such as Doctor Doom, to fan recasting theories, there are many opinions about how the franchise should continue, but in the end the decision will come down to Marvel Studios and Marvel Studios alone. With only Deadpool 3 being released in theaters this year, Kevin Feige and his team have a little time to ponder the future of the franchise, but a conclusion will likely be reached sooner rather than later.