Jonathan Majors Setback Being Dubbed as “Dark Ages of the MCU” After Phase Four Already Drove Marvel’s Final Nail in the Coffin
Marvel Studios finds itself facing hard questions over the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe after the conviction of Jonathan Majors, the erstwhile face of the franchise’s next saga. Majors was set to lead as supervillain Kang the Conqueror before assault charges and now a guilty verdict has sparked his removal. For many fans, it feels like the lights have gone out on the promise of Marvel’s Phase 5 and beyond.
Is This the End of Jonathan Majors aka Kang the Conqueror in the MCU?
The driving force behind Marvel’s upcoming Multiverse Saga, Jonathan Majors had already introduced his time-traveling conqueror Kang in projects like Ant-Man 3 and Loki. With the tentative Avengers: The Kang Dynasty arriving in 2026, he was poised to ascend as the next Thanos-level baddie.
But as per The Hollywood Reporter, December’s guilty verdict changes all that. Marvel must now recast or redevelop Kang and their wider Phase 6 plans. The film is currently dubbed Avengers 5 as Marvel reworks the script without their exiled star.
While Marvel has swapped actors before, this is the first major recasting forced by legal scandal. And Kang is no small side character. Finding someone to fill Majors’ shoes and establish a brand new iteration of such an integral villain will be daunting this deep into development.
Fans call it the “Dark Ages of the MCU”
Reeling from the revelations about the key new villain’s downfall, fans online already bemoan what they deem the “dark ages of the Avengers.” The comparisons highlight how vital Majors’ Kang was seen prior to his removal.
Some even claim this “sets everything back significantly” for the franchise after Phase 4’s struggles left the MCU on shaky ground already. Others state bluntly, “All downhill from here for Marvel.” Here are some fan reactions:
All downhill from here for Marvel
— Erik (@ErikPixel) December 18, 2023
About to be the Dark Ages of the MCU and set everything back significantly lol
— DJ Martinez (@DJMartinez06) December 18, 2023
We won’t be watching
— Veluta (@VelutaMMA) December 18, 2023
Damage 💔
— Octavio Zede (@ZedeGroup) December 19, 2023
MCU is finished. All they have left is Deadpool 3.
— AdamsApples997 (@apples997) December 19, 2023
The hyperbolic reaction stems from fears that without Majors anchoring the next saga as planned, Marvel must scrape storylines and begin rebuilding from scratch post-Endgame. That puts the continuity fans expect from the interconnected MCU in doubt.
What Comes Next for Marvel Post- Jonathan Majors?
While the MCU has proven remarkably resilient before, this loss of their biggest new star days before production was set to start on a mega-crossover event film is undoubtedly an ominous setback. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and the team now stare down a long road ahead if they hope to bounce back and regain fan confidence.
Their first challenge involves filling the Kang void, whether via recasting or rewriting. What route they take, and how smoothly they can pivot, will determine if the gloomiest “Dark Ages” predictions come true.
The next Avengers is now in uncharted territory, forced to deal with real-world consequences threatening the continuity of Marvel’s cinematic universe. How Feige and the company move forward from this blow will define the trajectory of Phase 6 and the Multiverse Saga for years to come post-Majors.
